Palm Harbor Fire Chief Named To Statewide Organization

PALM HARBOR, FL —The Florida Association of Special Districts, the statewide organization representing units of special-purpose local government, has added Palm Harbor Fire Chief Scott Sanford to its statewide board.

Sanford, who has served with Palm Harbor Fire Rescue for almost two decades, was voted onto the board at the association’s August meeting in St. Augustine.

The board oversees activities of FASD and helps to spread awareness of the 1,700-plus special districts in Florida. The board also advocates the benefits of FASD’s professional education and training in public service, among other goals.

“Many Floridians don’t realize the significant role played by special districts, which are often created to provide essential services where regular local governments do not,” said FASD Executive Director Fred Crawford. “Scott Sanford understands the importance of our role, and we’re very excited to have him join the board.”

Board members represent districts in communities across Florida, including Broward, Palm Beach County, Lee, and St. Lucie counties and San Carlos Park, Spring Lake, Sanibel and Destin.

Sanford has been a member of the Palm Harbor Fire Rescue since 2000 and was promoted to fire chief this year. He served 10 years on the Executive Board of Local 2980, where he developed relationships with elected officials around the state. He received his District Manager certification through FASD in 2014.

Sanford took over command of the department on July 10 from retiring Chief Craig Maciuba. He has been a member of Palm Harbor Fire Rescue since 2000 and worked his way up through the ranks. He served on the executive board of Local 2980 for 10 years, was a pension board trustee, a member of the department’s extrication team and was promoted to deputy chief of operations in October 2018.

Palm Harbor Fire Rescue, formerly known as OPC for Ozona, Palm Harbor and Crystal Beach, is a primarily volunteer department.

The department covers a community of about 62,000 residents living in a 20-square-mile area and provides a wide range of services, including fire prevention/code enforcement, fire and life safety education, fire suppression, disaster preparedness and response, rescue, hazardous materials response, and first responder advanced life support.

The department has three engine companies, one 78-foot ladder truck and one heavy rescue squad from four fire rescue stations.

The department is a special district, which sets its own tax rate and is governed by a nonpartisan, five-member board elected by voters in the district.