MANATEE COUNTY – Emergency response will always define the fire service in moments of crisis. But our responsibility to the community extends far beyond those moments. It includes helping create the conditions where children are safe, supported and able to flourish.
At West Manatee Fire Rescue (WMFR) that commitment is reflected not only in responding to emergencies, but in working every day to prevent them. Through community risk reduction initiatives, drowning prevention, autism awareness, car seat inspections and installation assistance, fire and life safety programs and public outreach, our personnel invest thousands of hours each year helping to make our community safer. Yet some of our most meaningful work happens away from the flashing lights and emergency scenes.
For the past several summers, WMFR has been honored to partner with the Early Learning Coalition of Manatee County in its summer literacy program. Over the past three weeks, our personnel and Fire Commissioners Dana Tindall, Billy Burke and Derrick Warner visited childcare centers throughout our district to read with young children and encourage a lifelong love of learning.
Reading a book may seem far removed from the work of a fire department, but the mission is the same: investing in a stronger future. Literacy opens doors, builds confidence and helps children reach their full potential. Supporting children in this way is another way we fulfill our mission of serving the community.
Colleen Hartnett, community education initiatives coordinator for the Early Learning Coalition of Manatee County, said, “This partnership provides children with more than an opportunity to hear a story. When firefighters and fire commissioners visit our classrooms, the children build positive relationships with trusted role models who serve and protect our community. West Manatee Fire Rescue has been a committed partner for years, and ELC is extremely fortunate to have partnered with them.”
Our investment in children extends beyond the classroom. Through Bigs with Badges, a partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast, WMFR personnel have spent the past several years mentoring local youth. These relationships provide encouragement, stability and positive role models during some of the most formative years of a child’s life. While the impact of mentoring cannot always be measured as easily as emergency response statistics, its value to a community is immeasurable.
Protecting a community is about more than responding when someone’s worst day arrives. It is also about helping create an environment for children to learn, grow and succeed, because communities flourish when children flourish. Whether teaching water safety, reading a story, mentoring a young person or responding to an emergency, each represents a commitment to the same mission: serving our community.
Public safety begins long before someone dials 911. By investing in the next generation today, we help build a stronger, safer and more resilient community for tomorrow.
