PUBLIC SAFETY

Okaloosa’s ‘Aqua Alert’ very close to going nationwide

Back in September, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and the City of Destin held a joint press conference to debut the new Aqua Alert notification system. Aqua Alert is a missing boater public alert notification system that was developed to aid in the search for missing/endangered boaters and kayakers. 

• It was launched as a result of a collaborative effort between the City of Destin, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners.
• It is similar to Amber and Silver Alerts and is intended to increase visibility on the water.

The Aqua Alert concept was conceived by Minnesota resident Judy Schink after her husband, 61-year old Dave Schink, disappeared while kayaking in the Gulf of Mexico February 13th, 2021. During a search and rescue operation, Dave’s kayak was discovered twenty miles offshore but sadly, he was never located.

Before the alert is sent out, Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office will take all reasonable actions to ensure the search and rescue of missing boaters. However, when boaters meet certain criteria, they will be entered into the Aqua Alert tab of the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office Smart Phone Application that will then be pushed out to subscribers.

Dave’s wife Judy Schink, along with their son, Dan Schink, attended the launch of Aqua Alert in September and have been working to make it nationwide ever since.

Now, the Aqua Alert system is positioned to do just that as it was included in the National Defense Authorization Act last week.

• The Aqua Alert Act, introduced by U.S. Representative Dean Phillips and based on the Schink’s ideas and advocacy, passed as part of the national defense bill.
• It will require the Coast Guard to establish a pilot program for Aqua Alert-style messages to facilitate public assistance in rescuing distressed individuals on the water.
• It is awaiting President Joe Biden’s signature.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Destin’s ‘Personal Rescue Watercraft Program’ receives national certification

The Destin Fire Control District has been awarded the Personal Rescue Watercraft Agency Certification by the United States Lifeguarding Association (USLA). This certification recognizes the high standards and exemplary performance of the District’s Personal Rescue Watercraft Program.

• The District’s application for certification was reviewed and approved by the USLA National Board Certification Committee, and its program was found to not only comply with but exceed current USLA guidelines.

In addition to being certified in the use of Personal Rescue Watercraft, the employees at the Destin Fire Control District are also able to develop and certify new instructors, ensuring the sustainability of the program for years to come. The District was the first agency in the area to use Personal Watercraft for rescue, according to the Destin Fire Control District.

“We would like to give special thanks to retired Encinitas Lifeguard Captain Larry Giles, who in 2006 helped the District get started in its PWC program,” wrote DFCD in a statement. “We would also like to thank Chief Joe D’Agostino and Captain Felix Romero of the Destin Fire Control District for their hard work in training employees on the ski’s and for the arduous task of attaining this certification.”

Currently, the Destin Fire Control District says they are the only nationally accredited Personal Rescue Watercraft program in the area.

A MESSAGE FROM OKALOOSA GAS

Warm Christmas Wishes from Okaloosa Gas

Our friends at Okaloosa Gas District would like to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas this Holiday season. May the warmth of the Holiday season fill your home with joy and love.

• Okaloosa Gas District’s offices will be closed for the holidays from December 23-26, 2022.

p.s. Stay warm as an arctic cold front will move across the area Thursday night into Friday morning. Temperatures by Friday morning will be teens and 20s across much of the interior with upper 20s and low 30s near the coast.

🎄🎅

SCHOOL

Choctaw student charged with possessing knife at school

On Tuesday, December 20, 2022, a Choctawhatchee High School student was charged with possession of a weapon on school property after he was found in possession of a knife in his classroom.

An Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office School Resource Officer retrieved it from the 16-year-old’s front left pocket after he admitted to a school official that he had it on his person, according to the OCSO.

• The teen also admitted to opening the knife in class, extending the blade, and using it to cut paper.

“The OCSO wants to remind all students that possession of a weapon on school grounds is a third degree felony,” wrote the Sheriff’s Office in a press release.

SCHOOL

Nursing program at NWFSC to double thanks to $21.8 million Triumph Gulf Coast grant

On December 12, 2022, Northwest Florida State College (NWFSC) was awarded a $21.8 million grant from Triumph Gulf Coast, making it the largest grant the college has ever received.

• The college will use the funds to double the capacity of their nationally-recognized nursing program.
• The entire project cost is estimated to be around $51,000,000.

NWFSC’s Nursing Program Expansion project seeks to address the shortage of nurses in the region and the country. Speaking at a FWB Rotary meeting earlier this year, NWFSC President Dr. Devin Stephenson said that the “State of Florida is in a healthcare crisis.” He says that by 2035, there will be a shortage of nearly 60,000 nurses in the state.

After a conversation with Don Gaetz, Dr. Stephenson’s team put together a proposal that would respond to the shortage in Northwest Florida, as well as in the state.

Speaking before the Triumph Board of Directors, Dr. Stephenson said that he, along with members of this team, have personally met with area hospital CEOs and CNOs about the shortage problem. 

• “They’ve told us that they expect the need for nurses to outpace the region’s entire production,” he said. “The graduates who want a nursing position can surely secure one.”

According to Stephenson, the average wage rate for a nurse today is $62,000, not counting the signing bonus that can be as much as $10,000. He noted that 25% of the current registered nurse workforce is aged 55 and older.

NWFSC seeks to increase the number of students by 88% by the year 2026.

The College intends to increase Associate in Science in Nursing program admissions by 88%, growing from 96 nursing student enrollments per year to 180 by 2026. It will also increase Bachelor of Science admissions by 100%, growing from 50 student enrollments per year to 100 by 2026.

According to application submitted to Triumph, the nursing project aims to strengthen partnerships with healthcare facilities, embed certificates in the nursing program without lengthening time-to-degree completion, develop new certifications relevant to the healthcare industry, and implement stackable credentials, including those on the 2022-2023 CAPE list. 

The project will also focus on innovative, simulation-based teaching methods and virtual reality technology to enhance the quality and impact of instruction across all health sciences programs. Investments in this infrastructure positions the region to lead health care education.

• Additionally, the virtual reality software will be made available to other educational institutions throughout the Triumph region, with the potential for the College to support the expanded application and use of the software in a training center capacity.

“We’ve built in a Nursing Simulation Center using teaching technology of virtual reality,” said Dr. Stephenson to the board. “What we know, based on research, is it will reduce the cost, it will create training efficiencies, and it will shorten the time to degree completion. These individuals will make fewer mistakes when they’re working on you and I in the doctor’s offices and in the hospitals.”

• It will also support the ongoing, continuing education for working nurses. As a result, Dr. Stephenson says they can accelerate the response in turning around the shortage.

In addition to providing increased onramps to the program through articulation agreements with secondary education partners, the college also hopes to prepare students for continued education with university partners and expand its partnerships with healthcare facility partners to enrich training programs and expand the workforce. 

• The college plans to seek external funding to support the project, including federal and state grants, industry partnerships, and private donations.
• The College received $13.8 million in state-appropriated PECO (Public Education Capital Outlay) funds and PIPELINE funds to support this project. 
• Further, the College is providing future tuition revenue generated as a result of the enrollment growth as match, according to NWFSC.

As a result of the Nursing Program Expansion project, the College will award at least 4,000 certifications over 11 years across various health science program areas. Design work for the renovation of the existing facility has already begun, and work is currently underway to relocate employees and programs within the building to ensure renovations begin in March 2023.

“It means a great deal to me as a lifelong educator and to this institution, and I believe this is a transformational grant,” said Stephenson in his closing remarks to the board. “We receive it humbly, and I promise you, we will deliver it with a highest quality and integrity that we possibly can.”