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Tarpon chief from the ranks a good choice© St. Petersburg Times published October 2, 2002 Tarpon Springs has completed a national search for a new fire chief, but it found the candidate it likes best in its own firehouse: Kevin Bowman, who started his career as a green firefighter and paramedic in Tarpon Springs in 1982 and remains there today. The 40-year-old Bowman has been promoted repeatedly through the years and was named interim chief in July when longtime chief Harry Leonard retired. Bowman competed against 48 other applicants -- the first time the city had done a national search for a fire chief -- to get the top job last week. Bowman recently was in the spotlight for another reason. Attired in his dress uniform, Bowman, a big man with a booming bass voice, was a featured soloist at the Sept. 11 "Service of Remembrance" sponsored by the Pinellas County Fire Chief's Association and the chaplains for county emergency services. Tarpon Springs firefighters are excited that one of their own beat out so many other applicants and was named fire chief. With his youthfulness, experience in both firefighting and emergency medical services, and knowledge of the city and department, Bowman is positioned to take the Tarpon Springs Fire Department to the next level. It is encouraging that Bowman named as among his top two priorities plans to attend the National Fire Academy for fire executive training and to improve safety for Tarpon firefighters. Bowman has spent recent years coordinating the department's emergency medical services. That is excellent experience for the department's primary mission: medical calls. But it is important that Bowman receive extra training, if necessary, to update his skills in fire command and firefighting tactics so he will be as able in that arena as he is in the emergency medical field. Training also is the key to improving safety for the department's firefighters. If they have been exposed to and trained for the kinds of challenges they could confront in modern firefighting, they will be less likely to suffer injuries. The city of Tarpon Springs is facing some financial hurdles. It is hoped those hurdles will not prevent the provision of top-notch training for city firefighters and their new chief.
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From the Times North Pinellas desks Editorial Letters |
