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Date: September 6, 2005
Contact: Dave Cieslak, Public Information Officer, Scottsdale Fire Department
Office phone (480) 312-1816
The Scottsdale Fire Department this weekend sent four firefighters to the Gulf Coast
region to aid with disaster recovery efforts following Hurricane Katrina. Acting on a
request from FEMA, the Scottsdale firefighters were flown to Atlanta on Sunday night for
training and immunizations. They were expected to be deployed today into the affected
region, where they will assist with outreach programs to help the victims. The
firefighters will spend up to a month in the area.
The firefighters selected for the deployment are:
Scottsdale Fire Captain Lance Parker, 42, normally headquartered at
Station 607 in northeast Scottsdale. Parker is an expert in Critical Incident Stress
Management.
Scottsdale Fire Captain John Whitney, 27, who is headquartered at
Station 607 in northeast Scottsdale. Whitney has expertise in long-term incident
deployments.
Scottsdale Fire Captain Kenneth Mantay, 37, headquartered at Station
614 in North Scottsdale. Mantay is a former Florida resident with years of experience
dealing with hurricane aftermath.
Scottsdale Firefighter Dustin Preston, 25, who works out of Station
606. Preston is an expert in technical rescue skills.
Scottsdale Mayor Mary Manross praised the firefighters and said the city stands ready
to offer additional help.
"We are honored to be able to assist in any way we can," she said. "We
will continue providing support to the victims of this disaster and to FEMA for as long as
they need us."
The Mayor also thanked residents who have already stepped up to provide assistance and
support to the families and victims of Hurricane Katrina.
"It is these kinds of horrific situations that remind us that we are all a part of
one family and that we must help one another," she said.
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