BRADENTON, Fla. — On a bright Thursday morning, April 9, 2026, at the East Manatee Fire Rescue District headquarters, Florida Chief Financial Officer and State Fire Marshal Blaise Ingoglia stood before a gathering of grateful firefighters, local leaders, and first responders. With oversized ceremonial checks in hand, Ingoglia presented more than $1.4 million in state grants aimed at protecting the men and women who rush toward danger every day — equipping them with decontamination gear to combat cancer-causing chemicals, upgraded protective equipment, specialized training facilities, and vehicles to battle everything from structure fires to fast-moving brush blazes.
The ceremony, held just weeks into the new fiscal year, underscored Florida’s ongoing commitment to its first responders. The funding — drawn from the Firefighter Cancer Decontamination Grant Program, the Firefighter Assistance Grant Program, and appropriations in the 2025-2026 state budget — will directly benefit five fire departments across the Gulf Coast region. Local Manatee County agencies walked away with critical dollars to address the invisible threats firefighters face on every call.
East Manatee Fire Rescue District received $12,248.25 from the Cancer Decontamination Grant to purchase a state-of-the-art decontamination system — what Chief Lee Whitehurst colorfully described as “a fancy washing machine on steroids.” The equipment is designed to strip carcinogens from turnout gear after fires fueled by modern building materials — plastics, petrochemicals, and synthetics that release toxic smoke.
” The fires we see today are much more complex and devastating than ever before,” Whitehurst said at the event. “Thank you, CFO Ingoglia, for awarding funding that allows us to continue to look after the brave men and women who serve tirelessly in this role.”
Nearby Parrish Fire District was awarded $20,672.20 through the Firefighter Assistance Grant for upgraded structural firefighting gear. Chief Stacey Bailey emphasized both immediate and long-term benefits. “This funding provides immediate benefits by enabling the purchase of modern structural firefighting gear, ensuring our firefighters are better protected while responding to emergencies,” he said. “In the long term, this investment significantly reduces exposure to harmful contaminants, helping to lower our job-specific health risk and improve overall firefighter wellness and longevity.” Bailey noted that three members of his department are currently undergoing cancer treatment — a sobering reminder of the stakes.
The Town of Longboat Key Fire Rescue received $7,976.29, also from the Cancer Decontamination Grant, to bolster similar protective measures for its smaller but vital operation.
Farther afield, the grants extended to neighboring counties with equally pressing needs. DeSoto County Fire Chief Chad Jergensen accepted $1 million for a new fire training tower that will allow his department to simulate real-world scenarios, helping firefighters extinguish blazes faster and limit property damage. “By establishing a new fire training tower, we can better prepare our firefighters to put out fires quicker, limit property damage, and save lives,” Jergensen said. “I am grateful to CFO Ingoglia for awarding this funding to our department.”
Hardee County Public Safety Director Casey Dasher received $400,000 for new brush fire trucks, essential in a region prone to wildfire. “Thank you, CFO Ingoglia, for awarding us today with the money to purchase brush fire trucks,” Dasher stated. “This will help us respond more effectively and efficiently to fast-moving fires that threaten our community.”
Ingoglia, who also serves as State Fire Marshal, framed the awards as more than just checks. Speaking passionately at the podium, flanked by state Sen. Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton), the Senate Majority Leader, and state Rep. Bill Conerly (R-Bradenton), he highlighted the
dual threats of physical and mental health facing firefighters.
“As State Fire Marshal, it is a privilege to support Florida’s firefighters who continually run toward danger to protect their
communities,” Ingoglia said. “It is imperative that firefighters have all the tools and equipment they need to respond quickly and effectively to emergency situations, and the tools to protect themselves after a fire from the cancer-causing chemicals they may have come in contact with. This funding is a step forward in ongoing efforts to protect firefighters and the communities they
serve.”
He went further, addressing the silent battles many first responders face. “PTSD is real,” Ingoglia declared. “This is not just about giving
out checks. We do this for a reason — to create awareness on some of the issues that are plaguing our first responder communities.” He called for erasing the stigma around mental health support to prevent suicides, noting that the state continues traveling across Florida to
advocate for these resources during budget season.
Florida Professional Firefighters 7th District Vice President Jason Berzowski echoed the gratitude. “Firefighters work every day to serve and protect their communities,” he said. “Thank you, CFO Ingoglia, for bringing awareness to firefighter health and safety and
for your continued support of the firefighter community.”
Longboat Key Fire Chief Paul Dezzi added, “Florida’s firefighters are incredibly thankful to have a State Fire Marshal that remains dedicated to supporting us with necessary equipment and protective gear to quickly offer help to the residents we serve.”
The event comes as part of a larger statewide push. In the past year alone, Ingoglia’s office has distributed more than $28 million to dozens of fire departments through similar grant programs. The money addresses a growing crisis: firefighters face significantly elevated
cancer rates due to repeated exposure to toxins on the job, while mental health challenges, including post-traumatic stress, remain a persistent threat.
Ingoglia also took a moment to thank the broader community. “Everyone knows that our first responders in our communities are our hometown heroes,” he said. “They’re the backbone of their communities. And on behalf of Florida’s cabinet — and I think I can say on
behalf of the governor — we want to thank you guys for everything that you do every day
keeping our community safe.”
Local leaders Boyd and Conerly, who represent the Manatee County area, praised the targeted investment in regional safety
infrastructure. Their presence at the East Manatee station underscored the bipartisan priority placed on first-responder wellness in the state Legislature. Firefighters and officials alike left the ceremony energized.
For East Manatee Chief Whitehurst, the decontamination funding isn’t just equipment — it’s a promise to the families of those who wear the uniform. “We don’t know what is in that structure,” Ingoglia had noted earlier in his remarks, “but most of the time, what’s in that structure are chemicals, petrochemicals, plastics, and as they’re burning, they create the carcinogens that firefighters are breathing in, ingesting, swallowing, and absorbing through the skin. And that’s why we are seeing firefighters with a higher rate of certain types of cancer.” As Florida continues to grow — bringing more people, more development, and more complex emergency calls — events like Thursday’s check
presentation signal a clear state message: the heroes who protect us deserve every tool available to protect themselves in return.
The grants are expected to be deployed quickly. Decontamination units and new gear will roll out within months, while the DeSoto training tower and Hardee brush trucks will take longer to build and deliver. But the impact, officials say, will be felt for years – in few illnesses, faster responses, and stronger communities across Southwest Florida.
In the words of Parrish Chief Bailey, the funding is “an investment in public safety that guarantees we have better capabilities to save lives and property. Thank you for making the safety of our heroes your passion.”
For the firefighters of Easy Manatee, Longboat Key, Parrish, and beyond, April 9, 2026, was more than a photo opportunity. It was a tangible reminder that their state stands behind them – every call, every fire, every silent battle.
