Fire Chief Halas signs off

Today is the last day for Longboat Key Fire-Rescue Chief Julius Halas, who signs off after 10 years of service as the town’s fire chief. Halas, who will serve as director of the state fire marshal’s office, starts his new job later this month.

Halas was sent off with a large carrot cake at the north fire station at noon Friday, May 1. More than 30 firefighters and town staff attended the get-together and wished Halas well.

Halas, who got choked up while reading cards from his fellow employees, set aside the cards to spend time with his co-workers and friends.

“I will read these all later so I won’t become a mess,” Halas said. “I’ve enjoyed every minute of it here though, I really have.”

Town Manager Bruce St. Denis appointed former Sanibel Fire-Rescue Chief Richard A. Dickerson to replace Halas.

Dickerson, whose first official start day was April 27, has 27 years of public-safety experience, beginning as a paramedic in Lee County before moving on to Sanibel as a paramedic and, later, fire chief from 2000 to 2007.

Dickerson was the incident commander for Sanibel and Captiva Island during hurricanes Charley in 2004 and Wilma in 2005.

Contact Kurt Schultheis at [email protected].