Page 33 - Demo

Notes of InterestHonor Guards, locally and nationally, have the same core mission of representing our respective agencies and honoring the fallen with dignity.In 2024, we participated in 20 events that were multi-agency with police and fire departments. When we interact with other Honor Guards, we share techniques and concepts. This helps to create bondswith partner Honor Guards.Fire departments and Honor Guards throughout South Florida continue to request our funeral and memorial protocol after they witness and participate in those that we are a part of the planning process. This is validation that we, as a department, have instituted planning and execution criteria that work well for us, and is a model that other agencies want to follow.When our local partner agencies adopt, in part or in full, protocols that we have in place, or if we adopt segments of someone else%u2019s, it makes it easier for us all to know expectations when we participate in joint events.In 2024, Honor Guard membership rose to 23 active members, with a combined experience of 303years.We currently have 10 members who have reached Life Member status. Life Members are those who have remained active for at least 15 consecutive years. This indicates that we have created a culture within the Honor Guard that compels members to want to stay active and represent PBCFR, and in many cases, continue to do so after retirement. Of the 10 Life Members, six are retirees. Additionally, there are two active members, who are retirees, but have not yet completed 15 years of service. Life Members Years TermSteen Eriksson 39 1986-presentRick Gass 39 1986-presentRobert Grosbeck 39 1986-presentBrad Havrilla 36 1989-presentRon Macleod 29 1989-2018James Gribble 27 1986-2013Karl Hornburg 24 1993-2017Sean Pamplona 23 2002-presentEustacio Sanchez 17 2008-2024 Shawn Niedbalski 16 2009-presentEach time the Honor Guard conducts ceremonial details at events, large or small, it brings acclaim and recognition to Palm Beach County Fire Rescue, and displays the professionalism and attention to detail this department has set as a standard of operations.In 2024, the Honor Guard reached an audience of approximately 23,855 at a variety of events locally and nationally. This shows the breadth of our exposure and the importance of our role in representing Palm Beach County Fire Rescue, the Board of County Commissioners, and the residents we serve.32