New firefighter joins ranks of Longboat Key Fire Rescue

This summer, the Longboat Key Fire Rescue Department welcomed a new firefighter paramedic to its crew. 

Aaron Maness moved from Tennessee earlier this summer to start the new job on Longboat Key. Prior to that, Maness was working at the Kingsport Fire Department in Tennessee. 

A little while ago, Maness and his family decided they wanted to move to the Gulf Coast, and he started looking for fire jobs. During his search, Maness said Longboat Key appealed to him because of the smaller size and “family-feel” of the department. 

Longboat Key Fire Rescue Department is also unique in that the crew are firefighter paramedics, dealing with calls for fires and medical emergencies. That’s one of the main things that drew Maness to the department. 

Maness, 32, started his fire career in 2020, a little later than most people get into the career. But he has been interested in the medical side of things since high school, he said. 

With Longboat Key, Maness said he gets the “best of both worlds” — the adrenaline from fire calls and being able to run medical calls that he’s remained passionate about. 

After starting the hiring process in April, Maness had a virtual interview with the department this summer and was offered the job shortly after the interview in July, he said. 

Maness’s first day with Longboat Key was Aug. 6 and he immediately started training. Even though he’s not new to the fire service, he had to spend two weeks' worth of shifts to learn Longboat Key Fire Rescue’s system. 

After that, Maness, like all new recruits, will be with a field training officer for about three months to learn the paramedic side of things before being tested by the department’s medical director. Maness will be on a probation period for a year  — standard for all new crewmembers — and continue training for the fire side of fire rescue.

Maness said he and his family are  excited about living in Florida. Alhough much of his free time has been spent unpacking since the move, he said the family has also enjoyed exploring some of the beaches closer to where they live in North Port.