Chief Goldstein Speaking at PSTA Groundbreaking

It was a great day to celebrate the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Public Safety Training Academy (PSTA) yesterday.  The new training facility will replace the current PSTA which was built in 1973.

The training facility construction will include: 

119,334-gross-square-foot (GSF) Academic Building
4,850-GSF Fire Residential Training Building
11,300-GSF Fire Commercial Training Building
12,000-GSF High Bay and Fire Training Support Building
15,386-GSF Apparatus Building
6,000-GSF Canine Training Building
12,000-GSF Multi-use Cityscape Structure Training area
2,075-GSF Department of Transportation Vehicle Training Support Building
2,095-GSF Fuel Facility. 

Video and photos from the day below.

Division Chief Scott Goldstein To Serve As Acting Fire Chief

Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett selected Division Chief Scott Goldstein to serve as the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS) Acting Fire Chief, effective January 1, 2015. Most recently Chief Goldstein was assigned as the Operations Division Chief responsible for all field delivery of fire, medical and emergency response services to a community of just over one (1) million citizens spread out over 500 square miles.

The Operations Division is the largest Division within MCFRS and provides nearly 300 daily staffing positions spread over Montgomery County's 37 fire and rescue stations. Daily staffing includes over 50 pieces of large fire and rescue apparatus, 40 EMS transport units, and several dozen specialized and support units. The Department responds to more than 110,000 emergency calls for service annually with a departmental budget of about $218 million dollars.

Prior to his assignment as the Division Chief for Operations, Chief Goldstein served as the Special Operations Section Chief, from April 2009 to May 2013. The Special Operations Section includes; hazardous materials, technical rescue, water rescue, and bomb squad response, interoperability radio cache, Emergency Operations Center liaison and staffing, as well as fire and rescue involvement in all mass gatherings/special events. In Chief Goldstein’s over 23 years with MCFRS he has also been assigned as the Operations Chief Executive Officer, Field Operations Battalion Chief, Deputy Safety Officer, shift supervisor and fire fighter.

Chief Goldstein is actively involved in the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Fire/Police Chiefs subcommittees and was the co-chair of the Law Enforcement and EMS working group that developed a model policy on intergrated operations of law enforcement and fire and rescue personnel during law enforcement incidents.

Since 1990, Chief Goldstein has been a member of the Maryland Urban Search and Rescue Task Force. He has been an Assistant Task Force Leader, Logistics Manager, and Logistics Specialist. Chief Goldstein was instrumental in equipment research and purchasing and the development of its task force cache. He responded as a member of the FEMA Incident Support Team to the Oklahoma City bombing and Hurricane Opal and deployed as a member of MD‑TF1 to the Northridge Earthquake, Hurricanes Charley, Fran, Floyd, Marilyn, and George and to the Pentagon terrorist incident on September 11, 2001.

Chief Goldstein holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Maryland University College and is presently enrolled in the Naval Post Graduate School working towards a Master Degree in Homeland Security with a planned graduation in December 2015.

He, his wife and children reside in Montgomery County.

Educational Senior Safety Presentation Today!

Several County departments are teaming up to promote senior citizen safety. The Senior Safety Summit is a collaborative effort between the Fire Department, Police Department, Health and Human Services and the Office of Consumer Affairs aimed at informing, protecting and keeping seniors in the County safe and aware of resources and services available to them.  

What:           Senior Safety Summit – Free

                       

When:       Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Time:            1:00 – 4:00 p.m.                     

           

Where:      White Oak Community Center
                        1700 April Lane, Silver Spring, MD 20904
                        Free Parking

Who:          Montgomery County Fire and Rescue
                        Montgomery County Police
                        Montgomery County Office of Consumer Affairs

More Info:  Visit montgomerycountymd.gov for additional information

In The Community

Last night Engine 712 (Hillandale) participated in the Broad Acres Elementary School Community Picnic.  Also dropping by the event was County Executive Leggett who took a moment to stop by and say hello to the Engine Crew.  In the photo with Mr. Leggett is Captain Eric Couse, FF Desmond White and FF Carl Feaster. 

Photo Courtesy of Captain Eric Couse

News Advisory: Fire Chief and County Executive to Recognize “Everyday Heroes”

IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 18, 2011

Fire Chief and County Executive

to Recognize “Everyday Heroes”

Local Residents Actions Save Others

Thursday, May 19, 2011

1 p.m.

Offices of the County Executive

Executive Office Building – 2nd Floor

101 Monroe Street, Rockville

Rockville - - - County Executive Isiah Leggett and Fire Chief Richard Bowers will recognize a group of “Everyday Heroes” in a brief ceremony in Rockville. Several individuals will come together to be recognized for their collective ‘life-saving’ action(s) that occurred throughout the County at various emergencies.

Incidents include neighbors who rushed in to save an elderly couple in a Potomac house fire, a truck driver who arrived on the scene of a vehicle crash and pulled the injured driver from the burning vehicle to safety and an alert resident who spotted a distressed kayaker who been thrown from her kayak and was clinging to the branches of a tree in the frigid Potomac waters and summoned critical emergency help which ultimately saved the boater’s life.

Because of their quick thinking, decisive action and willingness to ‘get involved,’ several people are alive today due to these extraordinary acts of courage and bravery.

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News Advisory: County Executive Leggett & Fire Chief Bowers Invite Community to Briefing on Darnestown/Germantown Brush Fire

BrushfireCommunityMtg

County Executive Isiah Leggett and Fire Chief Richard Bowers Recognize "Everyday Heroes" for Risking Their Lives to Save Others

Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett, County Council President Nancy Floreen and Fire Chief Richard Bowers yesterday paid tribute to a group of “everyday heroes” – ordinary people who took extraordinary actions to save lives and help others. In a ceremony in Rockville, six individuals were recognized for their role in four different incidents.

“I am always proud to have the opportunity to recognize our community heroes, and this is no exception,” said Leggett. “The individuals that we are honoring today have all demonstrated courage and quick thinking, and a willingness to risk their own lives to help others. These individuals have made our community a safer place in which to live, and for that we are grateful.”

County Council President Nancy Floreen said, “I’m sure that none of people recognized today woke up in the morning saying ‘I’m going to be a hero,’ but when they were confronted with a life or death situation, they jumped in to do what they could and indeed became heroes. We are truly grateful to them for that. Today’s honorees serve as inspiration to us all. ”

Councilmember Phil Andrews, chair of the Public Safety Committee said, “These heroes inspire us by their actions and remind us that helping people in peril is a responsibility of us all."

Leggett, Floreen and Bowers recognized the following individuals for their heroic actions in the following incidents:

(1) Security guard Nicholas Ayers is hailed as a hero for banging on doors and alerting and evacuating 49 residents to safety during a four-alarm fire at the Manor Apartments on Georgia Avenue in Aspen Hill on the evening of December 29, 2009. More than a dozen families were displaced as a result of the fire, and Nicholas Ayers is credited with helping to save their lives.

(2) Pool operator Tiffany Miles was restocking chemicals at a Burtonsville swimming pool early on Sunday, June 13, 2010 when she noticed a child at the bottom of the pool, which was closed at the time. She immediately pulled the three-year-old child out of the pool, asked a colleague to call 911 and began to administer CPR. The child was transported to Holy Cross Hospital and survived the incident due to Miles’ quick actions.

(3) Dean Haught and Kyle Murphy started cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on a construction worker who was suffering a heart attack at the MedImmune construction site in Gaithersburg on August 27, 2010. Using his paramedic training, Steve Cumpston used an on-site Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and he along with Dean Haught and Kyle Murphy are credited with saving the heart attack victim’s life. The victim has recently returned to work.

(4) FedEx driver Earl Spence was making a delivery in Laytonsville on July 7, 2010 when he noticed a van parked in an embankment and idling on the hot summer day. Deciding to investigate, he discovered three senior citizens inside the locked vehicle. Two were unconscious and unresponsive, and the driver was incoherent and losing consciousness. Mr. Spence immediately called 911 and calmly maintained dialog with the increasingly disoriented driver in an attempt to keep the driver awake. Mr. Spence is credited with saving the lives of the three seniors who have since recovered, but likely would have succumbed to the gasoline fumes that were leaking from a gas can inside their vehicle.

NEWS ADVISORY

Fire Chief and County Executive to Recognize Everyday Heroes

Local Residents Actions Save Others

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

2 p.m.

Lobby Level Auditorium, Executive Office Building

101 Monroe Street, Rockville

Rockville - - - County Executive Isiah Leggett and Fire Chief Richard Bowers will recognize a group of “Everyday Heroes” in a brief ceremony in Rockville. Several individuals and groups of professionals will come together to be recognized for their collective ‘life-saving’ action(s) that occurred throughout the County over the past months at various emergencies.

Incidents include a security guard who alerted the occupants of an apartment building to a fire on the top floor which brought four alarms worth of personnel and equipment to the scene; the quick life-saving actions of lifeguards arriving early at a community pool to find a 3-year-old boy unresponsive in the pool; co-workers at a construction site who quickly responded to assist their colleague after he collapsed by initiating life-saving actions and medical equipment; and, a FedEx delivery driver who came to the rescue of three unconscious elderly occupants of an idling vehicle.

Because of their quick thinking, decisive action and willingness to ‘get involved,’ several people are alive today. In some cases the survivors, victims, co-workers and family members will be present at the ceremony.

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Media Advisory - Press Conference Today at 11 AM

LEGGETT TO JOIN REGIONAL OFFICIALS BEFORE JULY 4 HOLIDAY TO WARN OF DROWNING DANGERS IN POTOMAC RIVER

Thursday, July 1, 2010, 11 a.m.

Potomac River Overlook at Great Falls Tavern, 11710 MacArthur Boulevard., Potomac

Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett will join regional officials to highlight the ever-present dangers in the Potomac River Gorge in light of the two drownings on Memorial Day. Many out-of-town visitors, who may not be aware of the risks, are expected in the Washington area for the July 4 holiday weekend.

Officials will emphasize that swimming in the Potomac River is both deadly and illegal, that citations will continue to be issued for violations, and that entering the Potomac River to swim or cool off can result in death.

National Park Service and U.S. Park Police will release an updated DVD about the hazards of the Potomac River Gorge. The video is also available in Spanish and Vietnamese. These communities have had the highest number of recent drownings.

In additino to Leggett, speakers will include Kevin Brandt, superintendent, C &O Canal National Historical Park; Jon G. James, deputy superintendent, George Washington Memorial Parkway; William Lynch, assistant chief, United States Park Police; Richard Bowers, chief, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service; John Caussin, assistant fire chief, Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department; and Sgt. Jeffrey Blevins, Metropolitan Police Department Harbor Patrol Unit

NOTE TO EDITORS: Spanish and Vietnamese speakers will be available onsite for news media interviews.

News photographers and reporters are strongly advised to wear appropriate footwear, rain gear and clothing for wet and muddy conditions.

Directions and Parking: The Potomac River Overlook at Great Falls Tavern is located at the corner of MacArthur Boulevard and Falls Road in Potomac. Parking will be available in the Great Falls Tavern parking lot. News media microwave trucks or satellite trucks may drive across the bridge at Lock #19 (at Great Falls Tavern). All other crew cars must remain parked in the main parking lot at the Great Falls Tavern.

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Media Contacts: National Park Service, Bill Line/Toni Braxton, 202-619-7400 or
U.S. Park Police, Sgt. David Schlosser, 202-619-7163

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