IN THE PUBLIC EYE: Sarasota County Fire Chief Mike Tobias

Age: 57
Hometown: Chicago, Ill.
Family: Wife, Sharon, 36 years
Occupation: Sarasota County Fire Chief and Director of Emergency Services
Motto: “P.R.I.D.E.”: Professionalism, Respect, Integrity, Dedication, Excellence. The slogan will soon brand every emergency vehicle in Sarasota County.

When Sarasota County Fire Chief Mike Tobias, who was appointed Director of Emergency Services July 16, stepped to the side of the Sarasota County Commission chambers following a July 26, award ceremony for emergency service workers he was beaming.

The events happen each quarter, Tobias said, since he was appointed Fire Chief in 2011. “This is the fun part of the job,” he said.

With more than three decades of experience as a paramedic and firefighter with Sarasota County, Tobias has certainly experienced the grim moments of duty. But, less than a year after being appointed Fire Chief, and two weeks after Sarasota County Administrator Randall Reid appointed him head of Emergency Services, he’s focused on a bright — and busy — future.

Sarasota County will begin two major capital projects that will help Tobias’ mission to improve emergency response time and service for residents. A $15.6 new emergency operations center will be a suitable dojo for Tobias during hurricane season. And an upgrade for the 800-megahertz communication system for 36 agencies in the region, which is expected to cost more than $14 million, will improve the link between services Tobias oversee. “None of this would be possible without our radios,” he said, gesturing to a man who was saved when a Sarasota County 911 operator gave CPR instructions to his wife.

It will be almost five years before the $87.7 million worth of public safety projects are complete, including a new traffic control system that will better help clear intersections for emergency vehicles. But Tobias, who has worked with Sarasota County for 32 years and has been married to his wife Sharon for 36 years, said he’s the type of guy who commits for the long haul.

“I believe in evolution not revolution,” he said. “I want to make slow and steady progress.”