PUBLIC SAFETY

Dumpster fire at Emerald Grande at HarborWalk Village

On Tuesday, June 28, 2022, at approximately 2:00 a.m., Destin Fire Rescue responded to a large dumpster fire at Emerald Grande at HarborWalk Village.

According to Destin Fire Rescue, the fire had 15-20 foot flames that started to ignite the outside lower level of the building. Approximately 80 people were evacuated as a precaution.

The fire was extinguished quickly with no injuries reported or damage to the interior of the building.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Okaloosa County EMS wins award for commitment to quality care for severe heart attacks

For the seventh year in a row, Okaloosa County Department of Public Safety – EMS Division has received the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline^® EMS Gold Plus achievement award.

• This award is for the department’s commitment to offering rapid, research-based care to people experiencing the most severe form of heart attack, ultimately saving lives.

“Okaloosa County is honored to be recognized by the American Heart Association for our dedication to providing optimal care for heart attack patients,” said Okaloosa County Commissioner Paul Mixon. “Okaloosa County Emergency Medical Services has consistently performed at the Gold Standard Level for the last seven years.  We are very proud of our crews and all responders for the care they give to the citizens and visitors of Okaloosa County.”

Each year, more than 250,000 people experience a type of heart attack known as an ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), caused by a blockage of blood flow to the heart that requires timely treatment.

• To prevent death, it is critical to restore blood flow as quickly as possible by either mechanically opening the blocked vessel or using clot-busting medication, according to the county.

Mission: Lifeline is the American Heart Association’s national initiative to advance the system of care for patients with high-risk, time-sensitive disease states, such as severe heart attacks.

The program helps reduce barriers to prompt treatment for heart attacks – starting from when 911 is called, to EMS transport and continuing through hospital treatment and discharge. Optimal care for heart attack patients takes coordination between the individual hospital, EMS and health care system.

“The health care professionals who interact with a patient even before he or she enters the hospital or emergency room play a vital part in the system of care for those who have heart attacks,” said James G. Jollis, M.D., volunteer chair for the GWTG-CAD Systems of Care Advisory Work Group and professor of medicine at Duke University School of Medicine. “Since they are the first medical point of contact, they can save precious minutes of treatment time by activating the emergency response system that alerts hospitals to an incoming heart attack patient.”

CRAB ISLAND

Dolphins at Crab Island 🐬

DOLPHINS AT CRAB ISLAND: Watch this fun video of a dolphin pod hanging out at Crab Island. Listen with the sound on to hear them communicate with each other!

Click here to watch the short video

BUSINESS

Eglin Federal Credit Union named Florida’s ‘Credit Union of the Year’ for their dedication to members and the community

On Thursday, June 16, 2022, Eglin Federal Credit Union was recognized by the League of Southeastern Credit Unions and Affiliates as Credit Union of the Year in Florida for 2021 in the category of more than $500 million in assets. 

• LSCU & Affiliates selected Eglin FCU for their outstanding service to members and the communities they serve. 

“Eglin Federal Credit Union is very proud of being named the large Credit Union of the Year in Florida,” said CEO and President Jerry Williams. “We are committed to making a positive difference in the lives of members and in our communities, and it feels great to be recognized for our accomplishments from 2021.”

Some of the Credit Union’s most recent impactful giving projects were helping launch an Okaloosa County Schools suicide-prevention program with the Hope Squad as a title sponsor, and working closely to expand financial literacy in the classroom. 

EFCU also partnered with the City of Crestview towards building the Eglin Federal Credit Union Skatepark benefitting area youth with the goal of reducing teen suicide. 

“These projects came to fruition through proactive networking with community leaders,” added Williams. “We live out the credit union philosophy of People Helping People.”

Eglin Federal Credit Union continues to work closely with the United Way to give back during their Annual Day of Caring, and has sponsored and participated in this event for over 17 years. 

• Employees have painted, cleaned, organized, gardened and more to help fill the needs of our community. 

Additionally, the Credit Union also partnered with the Boys and Girls Club of the Emerald Coast and Hey Gym Friend to conduct a Financial Fitness Bootcamp for approximately 100 youth last November at Riverside Elementary School in Crestview.

EFCU was also named the Large Business of the Year by the Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce, and was awarded the Corporate Business of the Year by the Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce.

GIVING BACK

Building Industry giving back to high school construction program

This coverage is made possible thanks to ERA American Real Estate! ERA American Real Estate has been changing lives through real estate since 1981. Today, they are the Emerald Coast’s leading real estate firm. 

Back in May, the Fort Walton Beach High School CTE Carpentry Program hosted a Board Cutting ceremony to celebrate their new classroom and shop spaces. 

• This was the first year the Vikings have had a CTE Carpentry program with students collectively earning over 150 HBI PACT CORE and HBI PACT Green Building industry certifications. 

Now, the high school program is in need of an overhang outside of their classroom to help store materials such as lumber. Currently, the wood is stored inside the classroom which doesn’t make for the best learning environment.

This is where the local Building Industry Association is stepping up to help the next generation of builders.

“The Building Industry Association reached out to a few of our vendors and members and we’ve gotten some stuff donated,” said Jason Carducci, President of the BIA.

Lumber was donated to the program and before school was out for the summer, students formed the foundation.

• Carducci was able to get base rock donated for the overhang’s foundation from Fort Walton Beach Concrete and Justin Mitchum Clearing and Trucking delivering the rock for free from Crestview.

“The construction industry as a whole is an aging workforce and we’ve realized it for a while,” said Alan Baggett, VP of the BIA. “The industry wants to be a part of this and truly, with an aging workforce, we don’t have a way to backfill and bring people into the industry.”

Baggett added that thanks to the the Construction Programs throughout the Okaloosa County School District, close to 1,500 students will participating in some form of construction.

• From there, Baggett says the goal is to determine if students will go straight into the workforce, head to college or to the Career Technical College in Fort Walton Beach.

Back to the FWBHS overhang, Carducci says that over the summer, the concrete will be poured and hopefully they can get more donations from the community and building industry to further support the needs of the programs across the district.

“We are going to make this happen,” he added. “This is how our community works.”

THINGS TO DO

4th of July Fireworks Celebrations

Fourth of July fireworks celebrations are right around the corner. Here’s a look at the different events around Okaloosa County.

FWB

The City of Fort Walton Beach will host a 4th of July event at the Fort Walton Beach Landing Park on Monday, July 4th, 2022, from 5:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Live music by the Six Piece Suit will begin at 5:00 p.m. with the firework show following at 8:45 p.m. Various amenities will be available for purchase, such as food vendors and light-up novelty items.

• Children will have free access to the Kid Zone which includes bounce houses and face painting until 8:30 p.m.
• Individuals are encouraged to bring blankets and chairs for the Celebration.

All public parking lots in Downtown Fort Walton Beach will be open on July 4th, 2022. The Pier at the Landing will be closed during the event.

Destin

The City of Destin and Compass Resorts will host the 36th Annual Independence Day Fireworks Show. The fireworks show can be seen over the East Pass and will begin at 9 p.m., Monday, July 4th.

• Tune in to Z96 (96.5 FM) for the simulcast music.
• In the event of inclement weather, the fireworks show will take place on Tuesday, July 5th at 8:30 pm.

The City of Destin encourages everyone to think “safety first” if you plan to set off your own fireworks.

“Firework laws shall be enforced and if you plan to purchase legal fireworks do so from a state-certified fireworks distributor only,” wrote the city in a press release. “Place used fireworks in a bucket of water before you dispose of them, keep small children and animals away from the fireworks and never relight those that do not work.”

Niceville

The Boggy Bayou Fireworks Show will begin at approximately 8:45 pm on July 4th. Fireworks are launched from a custom-made platform in the middle of Boggy Bayou and are visible from the shores of Niceville and Valparaiso.

According to the city of Niceville, the best vantage points are Kiwanis Park, Lions Park, Lincoln Park, Niceville Landing, and Shipyard Point Park.

Crestview

The City of Crestview and the Main Street Crestview Association will host their 4th of July Celebration event at Twin Hills Park on July 4th from 3pm-9pm.

The festivities will kick-off at 3pm with inflatables, food vendors, corn hole, music, and more! Then, at 9pm, the fireworks show begins.