Sarasota County honors Halas as 'A Fireman's Fireman'

Sarasota County Fire-Rescue personnel took some time on Wednesday, Nov. 2 to honor Julius Halas, the director of the Florida Division of State Fire Marshal, for his 48 years of service in firefighting.

Longboat Key residents might remember Halas from his role as fire chief in town from 1999 to 2009, when he moved to the State Fire Marshal’s office. He previously had served as the city of Sarasota’s fire chief as he moved up through the ranks from firefighter and paramedic through supervisory positions.

Halas was presented with an award for his “heartfelt appreciation for your­­ dedication and commitment to Sarasota County.’’ The award was also engraved with an inscription referring to Halas as “A Fireman’s Fireman.’’

In a 2015 interview with the Longboat Observer, Halas explained his role in Tallahassee. 

"I oversee 240 employees, half of whom are in law enforcement for fire and arson investigations statewide,'' he said. "Our arrest record is very high, and we consistently beat the national average for criminal prosecution here in Florida for arson. We also handle fire prevention for the state, including 13,000 state buildings that include the state’s universities. Training is also a big part of what we do. We watch over firefighter safety statewide. We also investigate firefighter injuries and deaths."