FFCA 2023 Board of Directors Elections

VOTE NOW:


The Florida Fire Chiefs' Association (FFCA) is conducting this year's 2023 Board of Directors Elections via electronic ballot for the open vacancies of 2nd Vice President and East Central Region Director. For more details on the voting process and candidates, please see the sections below. Voting opens on or before Sunday, April 16, 2023 and will close at 5:00 PM on Wednesday, May 31, 2023.

Who Can Vote

  • All current Active Executive, Active Senior and President Emeritus member types in good standing may vote for the 2nd Vice President.
  • All current Active Executive, Active Senior and President Emeritus member types in the FFCA East Central Region in good standing may vote for the East Central Regional Director.

How to Vote

  • Electronic ballots are set to only be accessible if your membership is active and in good standing. Please ensure your membership is active and any outstanding dues have been paid.
  • Click the electronic ballot button on emails sent to you regarding the election or from the FFCA website to vote.
  • You must log in with your FFCA Membership credentials to complete and submit your ballot. If you require assistance, please email [email protected] or call (850) 900-5180 during office hours.

Candidates

2nd Vice President Candidates

William "Trip" Barrs [Bio]

I’m Trip Barrs, Fire Chief for the City of Treasure Island Fire Department and I am running for the position of 2nd Vice President on the board of directors for the Florida Fire Chief’s Association (FFCA). I am excited about the opportunity to serve our organization in this leadership role and would appreciate your consideration and support.

Growing up in west central Florida, I joined the US Navy right out of high school and served as a flight deck crewman on the aircraft carrier, USS Saratoga. After being honorably discharged, I continued in the Navy Reserves with a helicopter squadron and began volunteering/paid-on-call with the Safety Harbor Fire Department for two years. These experiences instilled in me the idea of service before self, allowing me to see how serving humbly and with passion can help to shape one’s outlook on the future.

I have been a career firefighter for more than 30 years, serving with two municipal fire departments. At Dunedin Fire Rescue, I spent 26 years rising through the ranks, holding every position up to deputy fire chief. In 2018, I was appointed Fire Chief for the City of Treasure Island, where I am privileged to continue serving.

I have thoroughly enjoyed being a member of the FFCA for 10 years and was elected to chair the Executive Leadership Development Section (ELDS) six years ago. During my tenure as chair, our section reimagined the role that executive-level mentoring takes in our organization. Changing the name from Executive Fire Officer to ELDS was aimed at being more inclusive and supporting the many paths available for chief officer development. I also serve as a SERP county coordinator and have led 6 strike teams on deployments from the Panhandle to SW Florida, having the opportunity to work alongside many of you. My goal now is to expand that same dedication to the fire service as your second vice president.

As a former FPF member, I value the relationships I have developed working alongside labor to improve our profession. As your 2nd vice president and eventually, as president, I will strive to ensure that all voices are heard, expanding upon the great work of the current Board’s transparency and inclusivity. Those of you who I have met should see that I am outgoing and easygoing, but not afraid to speak out for or against an idea when necessary. It is my intention to leverage these skills to advocate for the fire service in legislative and rule-making sessions, ensuring that our collective voice is heard. I will continue to mentor the future leaders of our profession and strive to involve as many of those leaders in career developing opportunities as possible.

Of the many challenges our organization currently faces, I am most excited about contributing to the re-envisioning of the winter conference as a member of the FFCA Conference Educational Committee. Planning and developing The Florida Fire Conference provides an opportunity for your Board, the FFCA staff, and the membership to expand the quality of professional development and HOT classes that we have historically offered. As ELDS section chair, I am working to facilitate some exciting leadership offerings that should appeal to both future and current leaders. With your support, I look forward to having the opportunity to continue doing so as your second vice president.

If you feel that my experience and vision are what you also envision for the future of the Florida Fire Chiefs' Association, please vote for William “Trip” Barrs as 2nd Vice President of the FFCA Board.

L. Keith Tomey, III [Bio]

I would like to introduce myself to those of you who I haven’t had the pleasure to meet yet. I’m Delray Beach Fire Chief Keith Tomey, and I am running for the office of 2nd Vice President of the Florida Fire Chiefs Association. I have worked in the fire service for 38 years and served as fire chief at two outstanding departments. I served 30 years at Miramar Fire-Rescue and was the Fire Chief for 3 years. I am now Fire Chief at Delray Beach Fire Rescue. I earned a master’s degree in organizational management, the Executive Fire Officer in 2006, and the Chief Fire Officer designation in 2012. I am a second-generation fire chief. My father was the Fire Chief in the small town of Okeechobee and was also a past president of the FFCA. I grew up being inspired by firefighters, their training and dedication, as well as the brother/sisterhood in the firehouse. The fire service is the best career I could have ever chosen. I am dedicated to serving both the firefighters of today and future generations.

As 2nd Vice President, I would like to focus on four things:

Legislative Priorities

  • Continuing to support the association’s legislative priorities and build relationships to move the association’s goals forward.

Diversity

  • Enhancing diversity, not only in our association but also on our board of directors, committees, and in our sections.

Collaboration

  • To continue to build on our relationship with the FPF. Together we are stronger. I have a positive track record of building strong relationships with the local unions in both departments where I served as fire chief.

Cancer and Mental Health Initiatives

  • I want to build on and keep our vision laser-focused on our cancer and mental health initiatives. We have built great foundations, but we can’t slow down now. We must keep moving these two initiatives forward and increase awareness statewide and beyond. Florida is the leader in mental health and cancer prevention, and we should always maintain that lead.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I hope you will support me and allow me the opportunity to serve our organization and the fire service.

Stay safe!

East Central Region Candidates

 Chuck Bogle [Bio]

My name is Chuck Bogle and I am the Fire Chief for the City of Melbourne.  I have been in the fire service for 38 years, with 9 years as Assistant Chief and 14 as Fire Chief.  Throughout my tenure, I have served in most of the traditional positions within the fire service, including serving many years as an executive officer for the local union.  In addition to my fire service career, I was promoted and served as the Executive Director of Community Development for the City of Titusville for two and a half years, prior to returning to the fire department in 2007 as the new Fire Chief. 

I have been involved with the Space Coast Fire Chief’s Association (SCFFA) and Florida Fire Chief’s Association (FFCA) for over 20 years.  I have served many years on the SCFCA’s Executive Board and many of its committees.  I have also served in a multitude of positions, SERP County Coordinator, Election Committee, Fire Prevention Section Chair, and currently with the FFCA, the East Central Regional Director.  As the East Central Regional Director, I was the Board liaison to the former EFO Section and worked with the Section to re-brand it to the Executive Leadership Development (ELD) Section.  We are hopeful this change will increase membership and expand mentorship opportunities.  I am also the Board liaison to the Fire Prevention and Life Safety Section, which has been rejuvenated and is also looking to re-brand its Section to Community Risk Reduction (CRR).  This change will dovetail with both the State’s CRR efforts and with the Florida Fire Marshal’s and Inspector’s Association (FFMIA).

Upon retiring from Titusville in 2012, I became the Fire Chief for Fernandina Beach Fire Department for a brief period and joined the Melbourne Fire Department in 2013, where I have been the Fire Chief since 2014.  Since joining the City of Melbourne some of the initiatives I have accomplished, obviously with the assistance of staff, including creating a strategic plan and training calendar, establishing a chaplaincy program, creating a new training chief and obtaining nine additional firefighter positions, placing an additional ladder truck and engine in service, fire boat refurbishment, improved the PEER support program and contracted with a licensed mental health professional, improved cancer reduction efforts (vehicle exhaust system and bunker gear storage areas in each fire station), increased the number of Battalion Chiefs from three to six, purchased ballistic gear, worked to become a State recognized Light Technical Rescue Team (LTRT), secured funding to staff a four-person Heavy Rescue, and in 2022, improved our ISO score from a Class 2 to a Class 1 designation.

I have greatly enjoyed my time on the FFCA Board of Directors and believe I have a lot more to offer our membership moving forward.  I am asking for your continued support to remain your representative for the East Central Region.  With FFCA’s new Strategic Plan and changes, the Board is planning for future events, I believe our association will continue to grow and exceed our memberships’ expectations. 

I appreciate your time and consideration.

Have a blessed day!

Chuck Bogle

Michael Johansmeyer [Bio].

My name is Michael Johansmeyer, fire chief of the Lake Mary Fire Department.  I am asking for your vote as the next East Central Regional Director for the Florida Fire Chief’s Association (FFCA).  My service to the Florida community spans over 29 years.  First, service in the metro-sized Seminole County Fire Department for 27 years advancing through all ranks to include the first EMS Lieutenant and first Division Chief of Operations.  Currently, my service is to my hometown of 22 years, the City of Lake Mary, operating a two-station department that can be best described as “small enough to know you and big enough to serve you” through a premier First Response System.  Lake Mary is also where I first was exposed to the Fire Service as a volunteer while in high school where I met my wife of 28 years and raised two children. 

I am credentialed through CPSE as a CFO and completed the National Fire Academy’s EFO program.  My bachelor’s degree is from the University of Central Florida (UCF) in Supervision and Management, and I earned a master’s degree from the prestigious Naval Postgraduate School, Center for Homeland Defense and Security.  Lastly, I am a graduate of the Fire Services Executive Development Institute (FSEDI).

I am an “out of the box” thinker and doer with “Service Before Self” at my core.  Over my career, I served my local community, region, State, and Nation through a wide range of working groups and committees.  I am honored to have played a role in bringing millions of dollars to the State, creating innovative strategies, executing operational plans, and responding to natural disasters alongside many of you. 

  • FFCA Executive Development and Leadership – Naval Post Graduate School Master’s Liaison
  • Work hand in hand with Florida Firefighters Safety and Health Collaborative
  • Central Florida Fire Chief’s Association (CFFCA) District 2, Seminole
  • Domestic Security Committee Region 5 Representative
    • FFCA Committees and Sections; Search and Rescue, HazMat Responders, Statewide Emergency, Fire Service Instructor, Aviation (no longer)
  • PEMT-MCO work for educating City Managers and Commissioners.
  • FFCA ESLI Graduate and Instructor
  • GFOA/IAFC Budget and Finance Task Force Member – curriculum development.
  • Region 5 RDSTF Fire Chair
  • Region 5 Domestic Security Coordinating Group – Fire (SHSGP funding).
  • Orlando – Orange County UASI – Fire Representative (hired the first region 5 Haz-Mat-Rick Stilp and US&R-Steve Jones Coordinators)
  • FL-TF4 US&R Task Force Leader

My greatest strengths are seeing gaps, building teams, and executing strategies.  My philosophy is focusing on making people count (inclusion) and being honored to be part of the team (equity) while seeking different perspectives and skill sets (diversity).  If elected, I look forward to being an advocate for those of you seeking an opportunity to serve the Florida Fire Service. 

My passion for seeking the East Central Director position aligns with my role as the Central Florida Fire Chiefs Association District 2 – Seminole position.  Likewise, my goal is to be part of the Board of Directors' succession plan and become the President of both these organizations in future years.  I promise to work hard for you! 

Most Respectfully,

Mike Johansmeyer