CFO Jimmy Patronis Honors Florida’s Heroes on National First Responders Day
10/28/2021
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Florida Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis released the following statement in recognition of National First Responders Day.
CFO Jimmy Patronis said, “On National First Responders Day, we celebrate the heroes that work every day in our communities to protect us. From our police officers, sheriffs deputy’s, firefighters, EMTs, and our dedicated Urban Search and Rescue personnel, I’m thankful for their service and sacrifice to the great state of Florida. Since becoming CFO, I have worked to support Florida’s first responders by providing access to vital PTSD benefits and cancer coverage for our firefighters. This year, my top legislative priority is to fight for $10 million in additional funding for our Urban Search and Rescue Teams to help them save lives during disasters. As we saw with the tragic Surfside condo collapse, being a first responder isn’t just a job, it is a calling. These men and women leave their families at a moment’s notice and run into unbelievable danger. They worked for 29 straight days on that pile, wearing through their equipment and risking their lives to save others. They truly deserve our love and support and they can’t go another year without the funding needed to make their life-saving missions that much more successful.
“The anti-police culture that’s swept through parts of our country infuriates me. In Florida, we don’t defund our law enforcement - we fight for more funding to support them. We won’t fire them over vaccine mandates - we allow them to make educated decisions about their personal health. We must not forget that these are the same men and women who fought the COVID threat, and now many states across the nation are threatening their jobs over these mandates. It’s sad that last year in some states these men and women were heroes but now they are considered liabilities that are expendable to politicians who could care less about their well-being. I may be vaccinated, but that doesn't mean I believe in mandates. In Florida, we love and respect these heroes and if other states want to fire their first responders for not getting a shot, then we’ll be happy to find them a home here.
“Florida is grateful for our first responders on this day, and every day. The Sunshine State is a great place to live, work, and raise a family because our first responders are working in the background every day to protect us. Thank you for your service and God bless you all.”
CFO Jimmy Patronis said, “On National First Responders Day, we celebrate the heroes that work every day in our communities to protect us. From our police officers, sheriffs deputy’s, firefighters, EMTs, and our dedicated Urban Search and Rescue personnel, I’m thankful for their service and sacrifice to the great state of Florida. Since becoming CFO, I have worked to support Florida’s first responders by providing access to vital PTSD benefits and cancer coverage for our firefighters. This year, my top legislative priority is to fight for $10 million in additional funding for our Urban Search and Rescue Teams to help them save lives during disasters. As we saw with the tragic Surfside condo collapse, being a first responder isn’t just a job, it is a calling. These men and women leave their families at a moment’s notice and run into unbelievable danger. They worked for 29 straight days on that pile, wearing through their equipment and risking their lives to save others. They truly deserve our love and support and they can’t go another year without the funding needed to make their life-saving missions that much more successful.
“The anti-police culture that’s swept through parts of our country infuriates me. In Florida, we don’t defund our law enforcement - we fight for more funding to support them. We won’t fire them over vaccine mandates - we allow them to make educated decisions about their personal health. We must not forget that these are the same men and women who fought the COVID threat, and now many states across the nation are threatening their jobs over these mandates. It’s sad that last year in some states these men and women were heroes but now they are considered liabilities that are expendable to politicians who could care less about their well-being. I may be vaccinated, but that doesn't mean I believe in mandates. In Florida, we love and respect these heroes and if other states want to fire their first responders for not getting a shot, then we’ll be happy to find them a home here.
“Florida is grateful for our first responders on this day, and every day. The Sunshine State is a great place to live, work, and raise a family because our first responders are working in the background every day to protect us. Thank you for your service and God bless you all.”
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About CFO Jimmy Patronis
Chief Financial Officer and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis is a statewide elected official and a member of Florida’s Cabinet who oversees the Department of Financial Services. CFO Patronis works each day to fight insurance fraud, support Florida’s firefighters, and ensure the state’s finances are stable to support economic growth in the state. Follow the activities of the Department on Facebook (FLDFS) and X (@FLDFS).