County technician featured in national magazine

After Greg Morris, Sarasota County fleet services manager, learned about one of his employee’s background, he knew it was a great story that needed to be shared.

In November, Michael Naletko learned Construction Equipment magazine had selected him, along with 21 other people, as one of its “Under 40 in Construction” award winners.

Naletko, 37, fleet technician for heavy equipment with Sarasota County, spent 20 years in the U.S. Air Force in heavy vehicle maintenance. But prior to that he didn’t have any experience in mechanical repair — not even tinkering with a car. He learned on the job, and his aptitude paid off during a crucial moment in 2000. Naletko’s Air Force unit had been deployed to India during peace talks between India and Pakistan, and while his unit was at the New Delhi airport, a Marines’ crane broke down in the middle of the tarmac.

Naletko’s major asked him to look at the machine. Under pressure while other planes were trying to land around him, Naletko calmly tinkered with the crane and discovered a fuel problem. He was able to get the crane started again and off the runway.

Naletko’s experience in the military guided the rest of his career. He went on to work for the port authority of New York and New Jersey and as a railroad mechanic before moving to Sarasota in 2007.

“Mike fits perfectly with his performance, attitude and skills,” Morris said.

As a county fleet technician for heavy equipment, Naletko is responsible for repairing 161 different pieces of equipment in the county’s emergency services fleet, which includes ambulances and $1 million fire trucks. The county’s shop on Pinkney Avenue takes in the emergency vehicles for the entire county and Longboat Key.

Fixing emergency vehicles isn’t as simple as turning a wrench, Naletko said, especially as computer systems begin to control many aspects of the vehicles’ functions.

“You have to be a plumber, electrician and a mechanic,” he said.

Naletko’s job requires constant education to keep up with new technology and know-how to fix new vehicles because the technology is always changing. A laptop has become one of his most important tools.

For him, this position isn’t just any job — he finds his work rewarding because he is ultimately helping save someone’s life.

“If we don’t do our jobs, the firefighters and paramedics can’t do theirs,” he said. “It’s the most important. You’re fixing the truck to keep the firefighters safe and save someone else’s life.”

Mr. fix--It
Sarasota County Fire Department brought in a truck because of an issue with the windshield wipers. When the driver would try to clean off the glass, the liquid coming from the windshield reservoir would smear the glass instead of cleaning it. The truck was turned over to Michael Naletko.

After examining the truck he tested the sprayer, only to discover that one of the firefighters had put fuel into the fluid reservoir instead of windshield wiper fluid.