Candidate: ANDREW S BARRON

My name is Andrew Barron. My family and I have been members of the Sanibel community since 2012, purchasing our home here in 2013. I have a brilliant wife and three wonderful children who attend the Sanibel School. My profession is Emergency Medical Service (EMS) as a transport Paramedic with Lee County.  

I have chosen to run as a member of the Sanibel Fire Commission, as another venue to serve my community. I am a part of the Fire Service and Emergency Response System, I understand the costs to provide it and where that money comes from. I am fully supportive of our responsibility to the tax payers and our community. I understand how important a well-trained, well-staffed Fire Department is to a community and am committed to transparency, communication and sharing to bring the community closer to its Fire Department. I am also committed to the retention of our personnel and recruitment of top performers.

My History: 

I come from a family of firefighters who have always been my heroes. They inspired me to begin my Fire Service Career in 1991, right out of high school. I have fought fires, performed rescues and have helped countless people. I reached my career goal to be an EMS Manager of a Fire Department with the Ponce Inlet Fire Department in around 1999. I have a skillset for EMS/Fire Service Management (creating budgets, creating procedures and systems, and leading by example) and found the personal and professional growth to be exciting. All this has helped me to understand the way budgets are created, money is spent, timelines are developed and goals are accomplished.   

My peers elected me as President (and Secretary previosly) of Ponce Inlet Professional Firefighters, President of Ponce Inlet Volunteer Fireman’s Association, Paramedic of the year, and various awards. As President of IAFF local 4140 I have negotiated labor contracts, a vital part of today’s Florida Fire Service.  

I have been a passionate educator and trainer throughout central Florida, the Caribbean and SWFL. Training EMT's, Paramedics and hospital staff led me to work in the Cayman Islands for more than 7 years. It also introduced me to the woman of my dreams; a brilliant Veterinarian specializing in Wildlife, Avian (birds) and exotic animal medicine.  

After we were married, we moved to Grand Cayman together and continued to aid the community with EMS and veterinary medical services and education for another 5 years. However, after we had children it changed our thoughts on living abroad. We wanted to raise our children on American soil with American education.  

We chose Sanibel over anywhere in the United States because of its fantastic educational system, first class Wildlife Rehabilitation Center (CROW) and outstanding standard of living. My wife was recruited as Hospital Director for Sanibel's famous wildlife center and we were hooked. Now as community role models we lead by example and spread the word of how happy life can be here in Sanibel.

I now work for Lee County EMS as a Paramedic. I frequently rotate through the Sanibel Station, Medic 5, and have come to know the firefighters, police officers and EMS providers as trusted corworkers and friends. 

My family is active in the community. We are active in Sanibel Sports; my wife and I ride our bikes to school with the kids and frequent the Sanibel Recreation Center. I am a Den Leader for the Sanibel Cub Scouts/Boy Scouts and their working treasurer. My wife speaks and presents locally and nationally on topics effecting Wildlife Health, most recently on water quality effects on wildlife.  

As Fire Commissioner I want to improve transparency and communication sharing so all the members of our community can be involved in the planning, development and progress we shall achieve for the members of our Sanibel Fire Department.  To this I am fully committed and will work diligently until it becomes our reality.