ESCAMBIA COUNTY FIRE CHIEF BOYCOTTS LOCAL FREE EDUCATION — HURTING FIREFIGHTERS & LOCAL BUSINESSES

The Escambia County Fire Chief has ordered on-duty firefighters not to attend firefighter conferences & education events on Pensacola Beach.

These events have always been open for FREE to these firefighters who remain fully available to respond to emergency calls at any time.

This decision sends a discouraging message to local firefighters — effectively urging them to stay away from valuable training opportunities led by many of the same national instructors who teach at major conferences like FDIC International.

When leadership discourages participation in community education, it creates mistrust and division— locally and across the fire service community nationwide.

The consequences reach far beyond the fire service:

🔥 Firefighters lose access to vital, no-cost professional development.

🏨 Local businesses — hotels, restaurants, and services — lose the economic boost from event visitors.

🌴 Tourism & community organizations like the Santa Rosa Island Authority, Pensacola International Airport, and local shuttle operators are also impacted.

👉 Please share this message to support firefighter education, local business, and the dedicated professionals who serve our communities every day.