Longboat Fire Rescue’s new logistics manager to help improve efficiency

The newest face at the Longboat Key Fire Rescue Department wasn’t always in the fire rescue world, but she has always had a connection to public safety and service. 

Tara Pavgouzas started at the department on Oct. 16 as the new logistics officer. Already, she feels at home in the department. 

“I love it. Honestly I can’t stop smiling,” she said. “I’ve never probably been around a better group of people. I feel like I’ve known everybody for so long.”

Pavgouzas has lived in Sarasota for two years. She retired from the Philadelphia Police Department after 26 years as an officer there. 

When Pavgouzas was first considering returning to a public safety job, she thought about applying at the Longboat Key Police Department. Instead, she decided it was time to leave that part of her career in the past and look to new beginnings. 

As the Fire Rescue Department’s logistics officer, Pavgouzas has a wide range of responsibilities. 

One of those includes serving as the department’s quartermaster — a person who is in charge of equipment. Soon Pavgouzas will need to process uniform requests, which includes the ordering and issuing of new uniforms. 

Aside from uniforms, Pavgouzas will manage other assets and fire rescue equipment. When equipment vendors come to the department or need to schedule upgrades, Pavgouzas will take charge. 

As Pavgouzas gets more fire rescue experience, she may even be able to help out on certain calls. She won’t be running into any burning buildings, but she could be on the scene to lend a hand if needed. 

A lot of what Pavgouzas will do was handled by Tina Adams, the department’s longtime public information officer, but Adams was recently promoted to fire administration manager in addition to her PIO duties. 

Having Pavgouzas on the team will help take some of the load off Adams and make everything more efficient, according to Adams. 

Pavgouzas said she has always liked to help people and be a problem-solver. That’s what led her to a long career in public safety. 

“I like to be a part of a team that can help out,” Pavgouzas said. “It makes me feel better. … It’s not about money or anything like that, it just makes me feel better when I can help somebody else or I can make their day.”

Adams agreed that Pavgouzas is already clicking in the department, and that she shares the crew’s “quirky” sense of humor. 

Outside work, Pavgouzas enjoys attending live music, going to the beach and trying out restaurants in the area. Dry Dock is one of her favorites on the island. 

Sometimes she drives to Jeep shows in the area, where she can meet other Jeep owners and show off her signature ride: a purple Jeep Wrangler.