The Miami Beach Fire Department, led by Chief Digna Abello—the first woman to serve as Fire Chief in Miami‑Dade County—operates from four strategically located fire stations throughout the city and is headquartered at 2300 Pine Tree Drive  . It provides an extensive suite of services including fire suppression and rescue, advanced life-support EMS, ocean/beach rescue with six “gator unit” vessels for specialized maritime emergencies , disaster preparedness, public safety communications (911 dispatch), fire prevention and inspection, and public education. MBFD also supports youth engagement through its Cadet Program (Post 1510) and community emergency training via the CERT program, led by the Division of Emergency Management . Educational offerings are robust, including in‑school fire safety, business fire drills, senior home safety, car seat inspections, and the Safe Haven for Newborns program, all free and available by appointment . Chief Abello, with 19 years of service, managed critical COVID vaccination efforts for over 13,000 vulnerable residents, oversaw two ISO Class 1 accreditations (a distinction held by ~1% of U.S. fire agencies) , and was recently selected for the prestigious 2025 Fire Service Executive Development Institute . MBFD continues to advance community resilience through active partnerships with homeowners associations, nonprofits, faith groups, and local businesses .
⸻
🏠 Station Locations & Special Units
• 4 Citywide Stations: Located to ensure quick response times across Miami Beach .
• Ocean/Beach Rescue “Gator Units”: Six specialized rapid-response watercraft for marine emergencies .
• Public Safety Communications Division: Operates 24/7 dispatch to coordinate all fire, rescue, and ocean-based responses .
🚨 Special Units
Technical Rescue Team
FLUSAR team
Lite hazmat team
• Career Firefighters & Paramedics with advanced training in structural firefighting, EMS, urban/search and rescue operations.
• CERT (Community Emergency Response Team): Equips residents, nonprofits, businesses, and HOAs to assist during emergencies .
📚 Community Programs
• Fire Safety Education: Includes school visits, business safety plans, senior living facility training, fire extinguisher drills, and car-seat safety checks .
• Safe Haven for Newborns: MBFD participates in an anonymous newborn surrender initiative, available 24/7 .
• CERT Training: Free in-class and hands-on emergency-response instruction hosted by MBFD ().
• Community Outreach & Partnerships: MBFD regularly collaborates with civic groups, faith-based organizations, nonprofits, and local businesses to enhance disaster preparedness
The reason for the poor review is as follows. Leadership is not actually leadership. They are more concerned with making the city happy than their actual employees. They talk about mental health but are the ones contributing to the mental health issues and low morale. The new leadership started their tenure in our department by changing our historic department patch without asking the members. This shows they don’t actually even like this place and don’t care what the members have to say. The new leadership have not even spoken to its members in two years. The work environment and morale have never been this low and this is from someone who has been here many, many years. The equipment we have is ok. We have a lot of old trucks but I’ll give it to them, the support services division is getting us new trucks. This administration has contributed to the low morale by micro managing and creating a work environment that is toxic. They are more concerned about hating on their own members than running the department. They show up to emergency scenes and create more stress than the emergency itself by messing with people on scene and pointing out everything “in their minds” that’s wrong. They don’t trust their employees to make the right decisions and do the right thing. As far as staffing and scheduling there is unlimited overtime due to the fact they have not hired correctly and have also not promoted correctly. Vacation days are unavailable due to low staffing which has lead to a large amount of sick call outs because guys are overworked and under appreciated. If you interviewed every member in the department I would say 99.9% of the members feel the same way but don’t say a thing due to the fear of retribution from the new administration. Hopefully more people get on here. It is great that this is available so people can see how the members here actually feel. All that glitters is not gold.
Ladies and Gentleman What was written in that post above mine is completely off base and doesn’t reflect the reality of this department.
To me, It reads like it’s coming from someone who hasn’t been around long enough to understand how things actually ****ing work, or someone who’s frustrated about their own situation.
You little wittle ****ing baby.
Miami Beach Fire Rescue is a damn solid Fire department.
For example..
How can you give staffing and scheduling one star when the Miami Beach fire department was among the first in the ****ing country to implement the glorious Adonis Day schedule..
Let history remind you that before the Adonis day we had the same rotation every other fire department has..
1 Kelly after 9 shifts..
Then our union got to work..
The r day / Kelly day then went to 1 after 5 shifts, now it’s 1 after 3 and that alone is a major win for quality of life.
You work three ****ing shifts and earn your Kelly/R-day. That is a benefit a lot of departments out there don’t have now and probably never will have..
BE HUMBLE.
Right now, we’re in a transition period. Staffing and scheduling are being adjusted as the new Adonis day system is being implemented and in the very near
Future.. as we bring in additional personnel in this years new hiring class.. That means some temporary strain with mandatory overtime for our members..
yes, people are getting held over.
That’s part of the job.
The difference is, here you’re getting paid ****ing double time for it.
Let me remind you.. Across the country, firefighters are being forced into mandatory overtime without getting paid double time for it nor nothing near that level of compensation, and many are working with fewer resources, including being at a department that’s facing budget cuts that are forcing personnel to ride two man rescue units.
Two man engines..
That’s not the situation here.
On equipment and resources, the department continues to invest heavily in new ****.
new bigger rescues..
New engines
New ladders
new gear
new stations,
and…, Raises across the ****ing board for
Everybody.
You ****ing ungrateful mother****ers.
If there are issues, handle them the right way.., the Miami Beach way,
Go out back in the parking lot and keep it in house, don’t go on websites like this to talk **** and hide behind a screen name.
Putting the beach on blast doesn’t fix anything. It just shows a lack of perspective.
Carry your weight, understand the bigger picture, and act like a professional.
It’s obvious the previous review is from a disgruntled employee.
Every employee is entitled to their opinion, and no organization is perfect. However, this review presents one perspective and should not be mistaken for the experience of every member of the Miami Beach Fire Department.
The Miami Beach Fire Department has a long-standing reputation for providing exceptional service to one of the busiest and most challenging communities in South Florida. Our firefighters and paramedics respond to a diverse range of emergencies, receive valuable experience, and work alongside highly trained professionals who are dedicated to the citizens and visitors of Miami Beach.
Like many fire departments across the country, we face staffing challenges, increased call volume, and the demands that come with public service. Despite those challenges, our members continue to provide outstanding emergency medical care, fire suppression, technical rescue, marine operations, and special event coverage at a very high level.
The department has continued investing in its future through new apparatus, updated equipment, modern facilities, improved technology, and specialized training opportunities. These investments demonstrate a commitment to maintaining a capable and professional fire department prepared to meet the city’s evolving needs.
Leadership decisions will always generate differing opinions, particularly during periods of organizational change. While not every decision is universally popular, they are often made with long-term operational effectiveness, fiscal responsibility, and community service in mind. Healthy organizations grow through constructive dialogue and continuous improvement rather than assuming that one viewpoint represents the entire workforce.
Perhaps the greatest strength of the Miami Beach Fire Department is its people. Every day, firefighters, paramedics, officers, mechanics, dispatchers, and support personnel work together under demanding circumstances to protect lives and property. The professionalism, experience, and dedication of the members are what make this department successful.
Prospective employees should take anonymous online reviews with appropriate perspective. The best way to evaluate any department is to speak directly with current and former members, visit the stations, and see firsthand the caliber of the personnel and the work being done. Many members have built long, rewarding careers here because they value the experience, the mission, the camaraderie, and the opportunity to serve one of the most unique communities in the country.
No department is without challenges, but the Miami Beach Fire Department remains an excellent place for those who are committed to serving the public, developing professionally, and being part of a proud tradition of excellence.
I’m writing this to back up the first review so it doesn’t get lost with posts trying to save face for the department and using chatGPT to say how beautiful and wonderful things are in MBFD. We all know the reality.
When our current Fire Chief took over, we were hoping she would continue to lead us the right direction. Things have only gotten worse. One of her first station visits as the Fire Chief wasn’t to introduce herself, ask how things were going, or hear from the crews. She walked in and dropped a stack of write ups on the table over uniforms and other minor things. That pretty much set the tone for what this administration would become. Leadership through micromanagement rather than collaboration. Communication is one sided, not open mind to new ideas.. Her way is the right way.
We have FFs that come from REAL fire departments and volunteer their knowledge and experience to improve our training and ops. Too often, their ideas are shut down because of ego or an unwillingness to admit someone else might have a better solution. Seems like if an idea or something makes sense, it’s not allowed in Miami Beach FD.
At this point, nobody can keep blaming it on a “transition period.” This is just the culture now. Speak up and you risk having a target on your back. Favoritism is obvious. Accountability depends on who you are. It feels like the people trying the hardest to improve the department are the ones who get beat down the most. Promotions depend more brown-nosing & staying quiet than doing the right thing.
To put things into perspective of our new admin, recent department wide email stating “FMLA wouldn’t be approved on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, or holidays”. A quick 5 second google search will tell you that’s a huge legal issue, yet here we are. (I know you’re all reading this, it’s insane how you haven’t retracted yourselves with a follow up email… 😉 But we all know they won’t because rather than acknowledge mistakes, this administration loves to double down on them, which says a lot about the current leadership culture.
They love to talk about mental health, but it’s not the calls that make it hard to come to work. It’s the bull**** that we gotta deal with on a day to day basis created by administration. The unnecessary conflict, made up rules, micromanagement, and fear of retaliation wear people down. The **** we see on calls is stressful enough without feeling like your own administration is also working against you. Over the last two years we’ve lost two coworkers to mental health. Two. That’s something none of us will ever forget.
And the cycle just keeps repeating itself, some of our best FFs/Officers have taken a step back because of the bashing they receive from above. Seems like we protect those that barely get by, and beat down on the ones trying to make a difference for the department. I used to enjoy coming to work, running calls and shooting the **** back at the station. Now, sadly, it’s just another job where I get there, do what I gotta do and get out. Talking to people, this is the sentiment around the majority of our department.
Morale is non-existent now. Camaraderie is gone, just look at the previous post.. Embarrassing. This department has incredible people, firefighters, paramedics. The people on the trucks aren’t the problem. Leadership is. This department has everything it needs to be one of the best places to work. Right now, though, it feels like we’re being held back by the people leading us instead of the people doing the job.
This is being written specifically for the members of the MBFD. Everyone of us has our own opinions and experiences in this department, you can agree or disagree with what has been written in the comments before this one but every single one them has some truth to it. Yes, our department is going through a rough patch, yes accountability has to start from the top, and yes great ideas have been shot down due to egos, but airing our dirty laundry for the world to read is not the way to change things. Enough of our business is already available online, we don’t need to add to it. If you want things to change, things to improve this isn’t the way to do it. Show up to union meetings in force, show up to commission meetings in force and get your voice heard the right way. We have all seen what we can do when we come together, just look at every election cycle, when we show up united, with one singular purpose we create change. These posts are not the way to enact the change we need. These posts are not solidifying us and building a stronger department, they are fracturing us even worse. If you don’t feel heard, this isn’t the way to vent. Speak to the guys you work with or your officers, start rebuilding the camaraderie and coming together as a true brotherhood, something we all seemed to have forgotten about. Try to remember why we all joined this profession in the first place, it wasn’t the money or the time off, it was the sense of doing something good, something bigger than yourself and having an amazing family back at the station to share it with, good or bad. And yes, maybe that is me being naive but I believe in what this department can be and I believe it’s worth fighting for, but what we are doing with these posts is exactly the opposite. If you feel like you can’t speak to anyone, for whatever the reason, you can reach out to me. I’m available every B shift at station 2 and most of you have my number, call me anytime.
Disgruntled and still proud to be here,
Lt. Danny Diaz
Rating Breakdown
2.6/5
2.6/5
3.8/5
2.6/5
5 Reviews on “Miami Beach Fire department”
The reason for the poor review is as follows. Leadership is not actually leadership. They are more concerned with making the city happy than their actual employees. They talk about mental health but are the ones contributing to the mental health issues and low morale. The new leadership started their tenure in our department by changing our historic department patch without asking the members. This shows they don’t actually even like this place and don’t care what the members have to say. The new leadership have not even spoken to its members in two years. The work environment and morale have never been this low and this is from someone who has been here many, many years. The equipment we have is ok. We have a lot of old trucks but I’ll give it to them, the support services division is getting us new trucks. This administration has contributed to the low morale by micro managing and creating a work environment that is toxic. They are more concerned about hating on their own members than running the department. They show up to emergency scenes and create more stress than the emergency itself by messing with people on scene and pointing out everything “in their minds” that’s wrong. They don’t trust their employees to make the right decisions and do the right thing. As far as staffing and scheduling there is unlimited overtime due to the fact they have not hired correctly and have also not promoted correctly. Vacation days are unavailable due to low staffing which has lead to a large amount of sick call outs because guys are overworked and under appreciated. If you interviewed every member in the department I would say 99.9% of the members feel the same way but don’t say a thing due to the fear of retribution from the new administration. Hopefully more people get on here. It is great that this is available so people can see how the members here actually feel. All that glitters is not gold.
Ladies and Gentleman What was written in that post above mine is completely off base and doesn’t reflect the reality of this department.
To me, It reads like it’s coming from someone who hasn’t been around long enough to understand how things actually ****ing work, or someone who’s frustrated about their own situation.
You little wittle ****ing baby.
Miami Beach Fire Rescue is a damn solid Fire department.
For example..
How can you give staffing and scheduling one star when the Miami Beach fire department was among the first in the ****ing country to implement the glorious Adonis Day schedule..
Let history remind you that before the Adonis day we had the same rotation every other fire department has..
1 Kelly after 9 shifts..
Then our union got to work..
The r day / Kelly day then went to 1 after 5 shifts, now it’s 1 after 3 and that alone is a major win for quality of life.
You work three ****ing shifts and earn your Kelly/R-day. That is a benefit a lot of departments out there don’t have now and probably never will have..
BE HUMBLE.
Right now, we’re in a transition period. Staffing and scheduling are being adjusted as the new Adonis day system is being implemented and in the very near
Future.. as we bring in additional personnel in this years new hiring class.. That means some temporary strain with mandatory overtime for our members..
yes, people are getting held over.
That’s part of the job.
The difference is, here you’re getting paid ****ing double time for it.
Let me remind you.. Across the country, firefighters are being forced into mandatory overtime without getting paid double time for it nor nothing near that level of compensation, and many are working with fewer resources, including being at a department that’s facing budget cuts that are forcing personnel to ride two man rescue units.
Two man engines..
That’s not the situation here.
On equipment and resources, the department continues to invest heavily in new ****.
new bigger rescues..
New engines
New ladders
new gear
new stations,
and…, Raises across the ****ing board for
Everybody.
You ****ing ungrateful mother****ers.
If there are issues, handle them the right way.., the Miami Beach way,
Go out back in the parking lot and keep it in house, don’t go on websites like this to talk **** and hide behind a screen name.
Putting the beach on blast doesn’t fix anything. It just shows a lack of perspective.
Carry your weight, understand the bigger picture, and act like a professional.
And keep your mouth shut.
You ****ing faggot.
It’s obvious the previous review is from a disgruntled employee.
Every employee is entitled to their opinion, and no organization is perfect. However, this review presents one perspective and should not be mistaken for the experience of every member of the Miami Beach Fire Department.
The Miami Beach Fire Department has a long-standing reputation for providing exceptional service to one of the busiest and most challenging communities in South Florida. Our firefighters and paramedics respond to a diverse range of emergencies, receive valuable experience, and work alongside highly trained professionals who are dedicated to the citizens and visitors of Miami Beach.
Like many fire departments across the country, we face staffing challenges, increased call volume, and the demands that come with public service. Despite those challenges, our members continue to provide outstanding emergency medical care, fire suppression, technical rescue, marine operations, and special event coverage at a very high level.
The department has continued investing in its future through new apparatus, updated equipment, modern facilities, improved technology, and specialized training opportunities. These investments demonstrate a commitment to maintaining a capable and professional fire department prepared to meet the city’s evolving needs.
Leadership decisions will always generate differing opinions, particularly during periods of organizational change. While not every decision is universally popular, they are often made with long-term operational effectiveness, fiscal responsibility, and community service in mind. Healthy organizations grow through constructive dialogue and continuous improvement rather than assuming that one viewpoint represents the entire workforce.
Perhaps the greatest strength of the Miami Beach Fire Department is its people. Every day, firefighters, paramedics, officers, mechanics, dispatchers, and support personnel work together under demanding circumstances to protect lives and property. The professionalism, experience, and dedication of the members are what make this department successful.
Prospective employees should take anonymous online reviews with appropriate perspective. The best way to evaluate any department is to speak directly with current and former members, visit the stations, and see firsthand the caliber of the personnel and the work being done. Many members have built long, rewarding careers here because they value the experience, the mission, the camaraderie, and the opportunity to serve one of the most unique communities in the country.
No department is without challenges, but the Miami Beach Fire Department remains an excellent place for those who are committed to serving the public, developing professionally, and being part of a proud tradition of excellence.
I’m writing this to back up the first review so it doesn’t get lost with posts trying to save face for the department and using chatGPT to say how beautiful and wonderful things are in MBFD. We all know the reality.
When our current Fire Chief took over, we were hoping she would continue to lead us the right direction. Things have only gotten worse. One of her first station visits as the Fire Chief wasn’t to introduce herself, ask how things were going, or hear from the crews. She walked in and dropped a stack of write ups on the table over uniforms and other minor things. That pretty much set the tone for what this administration would become. Leadership through micromanagement rather than collaboration. Communication is one sided, not open mind to new ideas.. Her way is the right way.
We have FFs that come from REAL fire departments and volunteer their knowledge and experience to improve our training and ops. Too often, their ideas are shut down because of ego or an unwillingness to admit someone else might have a better solution. Seems like if an idea or something makes sense, it’s not allowed in Miami Beach FD.
At this point, nobody can keep blaming it on a “transition period.” This is just the culture now. Speak up and you risk having a target on your back. Favoritism is obvious. Accountability depends on who you are. It feels like the people trying the hardest to improve the department are the ones who get beat down the most. Promotions depend more brown-nosing & staying quiet than doing the right thing.
To put things into perspective of our new admin, recent department wide email stating “FMLA wouldn’t be approved on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, or holidays”. A quick 5 second google search will tell you that’s a huge legal issue, yet here we are. (I know you’re all reading this, it’s insane how you haven’t retracted yourselves with a follow up email… 😉 But we all know they won’t because rather than acknowledge mistakes, this administration loves to double down on them, which says a lot about the current leadership culture.
They love to talk about mental health, but it’s not the calls that make it hard to come to work. It’s the bull**** that we gotta deal with on a day to day basis created by administration. The unnecessary conflict, made up rules, micromanagement, and fear of retaliation wear people down. The **** we see on calls is stressful enough without feeling like your own administration is also working against you. Over the last two years we’ve lost two coworkers to mental health. Two. That’s something none of us will ever forget.
And the cycle just keeps repeating itself, some of our best FFs/Officers have taken a step back because of the bashing they receive from above. Seems like we protect those that barely get by, and beat down on the ones trying to make a difference for the department. I used to enjoy coming to work, running calls and shooting the **** back at the station. Now, sadly, it’s just another job where I get there, do what I gotta do and get out. Talking to people, this is the sentiment around the majority of our department.
Morale is non-existent now. Camaraderie is gone, just look at the previous post.. Embarrassing. This department has incredible people, firefighters, paramedics. The people on the trucks aren’t the problem. Leadership is. This department has everything it needs to be one of the best places to work. Right now, though, it feels like we’re being held back by the people leading us instead of the people doing the job.
A “Disgruntled Employee” 🙂
This is being written specifically for the members of the MBFD. Everyone of us has our own opinions and experiences in this department, you can agree or disagree with what has been written in the comments before this one but every single one them has some truth to it. Yes, our department is going through a rough patch, yes accountability has to start from the top, and yes great ideas have been shot down due to egos, but airing our dirty laundry for the world to read is not the way to change things. Enough of our business is already available online, we don’t need to add to it. If you want things to change, things to improve this isn’t the way to do it. Show up to union meetings in force, show up to commission meetings in force and get your voice heard the right way. We have all seen what we can do when we come together, just look at every election cycle, when we show up united, with one singular purpose we create change. These posts are not the way to enact the change we need. These posts are not solidifying us and building a stronger department, they are fracturing us even worse. If you don’t feel heard, this isn’t the way to vent. Speak to the guys you work with or your officers, start rebuilding the camaraderie and coming together as a true brotherhood, something we all seemed to have forgotten about. Try to remember why we all joined this profession in the first place, it wasn’t the money or the time off, it was the sense of doing something good, something bigger than yourself and having an amazing family back at the station to share it with, good or bad. And yes, maybe that is me being naive but I believe in what this department can be and I believe it’s worth fighting for, but what we are doing with these posts is exactly the opposite. If you feel like you can’t speak to anyone, for whatever the reason, you can reach out to me. I’m available every B shift at station 2 and most of you have my number, call me anytime.
Disgruntled and still proud to be here,
Lt. Danny Diaz