Fire Department Addressing Shortcomings In Fire Prevention Bureau

Jennifer Pierce hit the ground running as she stepped into a controversy swirling around the resignations of the Marco Island City Fire Marshall and two inspectors in the Spring of 2022. Pierce assumed the position as the new City Fire Marshall early that summer. “She knew she had significant challenges ahead of her but took them on like the professional we knew she was,” said Marco Island Fire Chief Chris Byrne. 

Amongst those challenges were the rebuilding of the city’s fire prevention team, including processes and procedures which would be followed by new personnel. That included reinstituting the software package which had been poorly implemented.  She also prepared the potential implementation of what her department’s responsibilities would be should the city adopt a rental registration program.

Part of the rebuilding of the Fire Prevention Bureau would entail understanding what had gone wrong under the past management of that departmental division. 

All of this went on while the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) was readying a report regarding possible criminal wrongdoing over questionable inspection record reporting done prior to her assuming the role.

In early 2022, Chief Byrne tasked the Fire Chief Administrative Assistant to review administrative procedures; the FDLE review was initiated due to discoveries made during that review. Upon questioning, then Fire Marshall John Harris admitted that the records were falsified and should never have been entered into the system in that manner. A deeper dive into that process found the inspector who entered and signed those inspections did so under the direction of his supervisor.

Upon further review by the Chief’s Administrative Assistant, a total of 91 reports were discovered to be tainted.

Early in April 2022, Chief Byrne notified the Marco Island City Manager’s Office and the police department of the initial findings of their investigation. After consulting with the City Attorney’s Office, all three members of the Fire Prevention Bureau were placed on administrative leave pending further review, and access to city programs and records were suspended. Within two days, Fire Marshall Harris and Fire Inspector Steven Allen resigned.  Shortly after those resignations, Fire Inspector Adrian Garcia-Casals resigned.

FDLE issued their findings regarding their investigation. Those findings would mirror the internal reviews which were already ongoing. They would also be the driving force behind many of the changes implemented by Chief Byrne and Fire Marshall Pierce. Those changes will include but are not limited to, the following.

• They found that the software program initially purchase to aid in the department’s inspection program was never implemented properly back in 2017 due to a lack of supervision and oversight within the department. This would affect the productivity of the department personnel at several levels and allow little or no oversight. That is being addressed.

• No provisions for “checks and balances” were allowed due to this lack of oversight. That has been addressed.

• Little or no processes or procedures were developed within that Division that provided guidance by those personnel. That has now been addressed.

• Personnel were not allowed to download their own reports as only one Administrator was allowed that access. The program is being completely overhauled.

• The existing software program has been completely overhauled including the scheduler function and the integration with the city’s finance department which will allow for the appropriate billing for those inspections and the capturing of costs associated with those inspections is under review by Finance Director. 

• Training programs for inspectors has been instituted.

• Weekly staff meetings are now being held.

• Fire Marshall’s review of all inspection reports.

• Fire Chief’s Administrative Assistant will oversee the inspection software program.

• Verizon Connect Modules have been installed in each Division vehicle providing live tracking and historical tracking of staff vehicles.

• Fire inspectors have already undergone 400 hours of training in 2023.

All construction-related inspections were completed and only the annual inspections of residential buildings were the ones impacted during the time period involved.