JUPITER, Fla. – Michael DeStefano has been named the new Deputy Chief of Administration for the Jupiter Fire Rescue Department (JFRD) while Tim Roche has been hired as the Division Chief of Emergency Medical Services and Kevin Martin the Division Chief of Logistics and Support Services, as announced by Chief Darrel Donatto Monday.
Deputy Chief DeStefano will oversee all of Fire Rescue administrative functions, including budgeting, finance, data analysis and reporting, fire prevention and inspections, logistics, facility and vehicle maintenance, and internal affairs. DeStefano has over 20 years of experience in the fire service and comes to JFRD from Brevard County Fire Rescue, where he most recently served as the Assistant Chief of Professional Development.
In addition to being a state certified firefighter and paramedic, Deputy Chief DeStefano is a credentialed Chief Fire Officer by the Center for Public Safety Excellence, a certified Fire Officer IV, a certified Fire Instructor III, a certified Live Fire Training Instructor, a Blue Card Incident Command Instructor, and holds multiple technical rescue and hazardous materials response certifications.
Deputy Chief is an accomplished author and speaker and has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration and a Bachelor Degree in Public Administration, both from Barry University, and an Associate Degree in Fire Science from Eastern Florida State College. He is currently working towards his Doctorate in Strategic Leadership at Liberty University. DeStefano also has a postgraduate Executive Certificate in Strategic Leadership from Liberty.
Division Chief Roche has almost 30 years of experience in the fire service and comes to JFRD from Miramar Fire Rescue, where most recently he served as the Division Chief of EMS. Roche is very active in the EMS community and has competed nationally and internationally in EMS competitions.
Chief Roche holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Public Management from Florida Atlantic University and an Associate of Science Degree in Emergency Medical Science from Broward College. In addition to his firefighter and paramedic certifications, Roche is a certified Fire Safety Inspector, a certified Fire Instructor III, a certified Fire Officer 1, a certified Incident Safety Officer, a certified Health and Safety Officer, a designated Infection Control Officer, a certified Advanced Cardiac Life Support Instructor, a certified CPR Instructor, a Community
Emergency Response Team Instructor, an Emergency Vehicle Operations Course Instructor, a certified EMS Instructor, a certified Flight Paramedic, a FEMA Incident Command System Instructor, and a University of Miami Acute Coronary Syndrome and Stroke Instructor. Chief Roche has completed the Emergency Service Leadership Institute training program, the IAFF Peer Support training program, and Tactical Combat Casualty Care training program.
Division Chief Martin will be responsible for specifying and procuring all of Fire Rescue vehicles, equipment, supplies, inventory maintenance, facility maintenance, vehicle maintenance, and equipment maintenance. Martin joins JFRD from the Punta Gorda Fire Department, where he most recently served as the Division Chief of Training and EMS. Previous to Punta Gorda, Chief Martin retired as a Battalion Chief from Pembroke Pines Fire Rescue. He is credentialed by the Center for Public Safety Excellence as a Chief Fire Officer and a Chief Training Officer.
Chief Martin holds a Master of Science in Fire & Emergency Sciences from the University of Florida, a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership from St. Thomas University, an Associate in Science in Fire Science from Broward College, and has a Graduate Certificate in Emergency Services/ Disaster Management from the University of Florida. In addition to being a firefighter and paramedic, Martin is a certified Fire Officer 4, certified Fire Instructor III, a CPR Instructor, and an Incident Safety Officer.
Deputy Chief DeStefano, Chief Roche and Chief Martin will be sworn into their position at a ceremony in the Council Chambers (210 Military Trail) at 10:00 am on Wednesday, November 6.