The Palm Coast Fire Department (PCFD) is the city fire department for Palm Coast. It provides fire suppression, first response EMS, inspections, and public education. The department runs a 24-on/48-off schedule and handles a high call volume for its size, with over 17,000 calls a year. It is a non-transport ALS agency, so patient transport is handled by Flagler County Fire Rescue. Staffing is limited compared to the workload, and the department relies on mutual aid for things like specialized rescue.
Nice stations and good equipment. However, staffing is an issue. The dept incorporated an “intern” program that only hires from the volunteer firefighters. The program is a failure and produces dud employees. Retention has been terrible and they hire firefighters on the spectrum.
The deputy chief was outed at his last dept from Ocala for favoritism, retaliation, and not following chain of command. Does the same thing at PCFD.
PCFD could be much better with new leadership at the top.
I observed significant concerns regarding leadership’s handling of employee misconduct allegations. Reports of inappropriate conduct toward employees were not addressed promptly, and there appeared to be reluctance to formally document concerns. The matter was ultimately resolved only after escalation to Human Resources.
Additionally, the individual involved made claims regarding prior service in the United States Marine Corps that were later determined to be inaccurate.
Following the HR investigation and resolution, there was offered a promotion and felt encouraged to move on from the matter rather than continue pursuing concerns related to the incident.
Staffing management has also been a persistent challenge. Vacant positions are not consistently filled in a timely manner, contributing to ongoing staffing shortages. Despite these shortages, personnel from our department are frequently reassigned to support other understaffed units, creating additional strain on departmental operations and employee workload.
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2 Reviews on “Palm Coast Fire Dept.”
Nice stations and good equipment. However, staffing is an issue. The dept incorporated an “intern” program that only hires from the volunteer firefighters. The program is a failure and produces dud employees. Retention has been terrible and they hire firefighters on the spectrum.
The deputy chief was outed at his last dept from Ocala for favoritism, retaliation, and not following chain of command. Does the same thing at PCFD.
PCFD could be much better with new leadership at the top.
I observed significant concerns regarding leadership’s handling of employee misconduct allegations. Reports of inappropriate conduct toward employees were not addressed promptly, and there appeared to be reluctance to formally document concerns. The matter was ultimately resolved only after escalation to Human Resources.
Additionally, the individual involved made claims regarding prior service in the United States Marine Corps that were later determined to be inaccurate.
Following the HR investigation and resolution, there was offered a promotion and felt encouraged to move on from the matter rather than continue pursuing concerns related to the incident.
Staffing management has also been a persistent challenge. Vacant positions are not consistently filled in a timely manner, contributing to ongoing staffing shortages. Despite these shortages, personnel from our department are frequently reassigned to support other understaffed units, creating additional strain on departmental operations and employee workload.