Miami Dade announces new emergency leadership
From David Volz
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava announced new emergency management leadership in Miami-Dade County – Pete Gomez has been hired as the new assistant director for Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, responsible for oversight of the Office of Emergency Management.
As assistant director, Gomez will lead the Office of Emergency Management, ensuring Miami-Dade County properly plans for all disasters and supports the community through disaster preparedness, response, recovery, and the coordination of information and resources.
“Pete’s experience is second-to-none, a public leader who has served, first-hand, through some of our community’s worst disasters,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “With Pete in the lead, we will seek innovative ideas for an extended approach to all hazard readiness and response. I know he will do a tremendous job leading our emergency management efforts as we maintain our readiness for the upcoming hurricane season and any other emergencies our county may face.”
“I want to thank Mayor Daniella Levine Cava for having the confidence in me to lead the Office of Emergency Management,” said Pete Gomez. “I’m proud to lead the Office and our many talented, dedicated team members, as we ensure our community is resilient, responsive, and ready for any stressers and threats.”
Gomez is a dynamic leader with over 35 years of combined experience in the fields of fire service and emergency management. Gomez joined the public sector as a police officer in the City of Hialeah and later joined the Miami Fire Department, where he rose through the ranks of lieutenant, captain, executive assistant to the fire chief, and assistant chief of the Division of Emergency Management, as the City of Miami’s Emergency Manager. During his tenure, Gomez led the City’s response and recovery efforts to Hurricanes Irma and Dorian. Gomez has extensive knowledge in the operation of local, state, and federal regulations pertaining to disaster preparedness.
As of 2020, Gomez served as the Senior Director for the Academy for International Disaster Preparedness at Florida International University. He was a member of the State of Florida’s Domestic Oversight Council, Executive Board, Co-Chair of the Special Response Teams Coordinating Group, and belongs to the Regional Domestic Security Task Force.
Miami Dade to make Rickenbacker Causeway safer
From David Volz
Under the direction of Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, Miami-Dade Police Department working with the Miami-Dade Department of Transportation and Public Works is taking immediate steps to make the Rickenbacker Causeway safer for all our residents.
Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD), Police Operations Section, will be conducting high visibility traffic details on Friday, May 20, 2022, through Sunday, May 22, 2022, on Key Biscayne, deploying officers, signage, and radar. Posted speed limits have been lowered throughout the area to help reduce the instances of accidents.
The Miami-Dade Department of Transportation and Public Works is also installing temporary barricades and cones along the bike lane at critical points to help reduce the instances of accidents. The County is installing additional bicycle warning signs, supplementing the continuous, green-painted bicycle lanes, and messaging boards urging drivers to use caution while operating vehicles.
MDPD Motors Units, Bicycle Response Team, and Police Operations Section Personnel will be out in large numbers to patrol, educate and engage with members of our community while implementing these changes. Units will also be enforcing the traffic laws where necessary. The campaign will continue until further notice.
Coral Springs selects Kathy Reul to be Director of Human Resources
From David Volz
The City of Coral Springs has announced the selection of Assistant Director, Kathy Reul, to serve as Director of Human Resources.
In her role, Reul will be instrumental in supporting the organizational mission of recruiting, retaining, and developing city employees who make the City of Coral Springs the premier community in which to live work, and raise a family. Reul will take the place of Dale Pazdra, who was promoted to Deputy City Manager.
Deputy City Manager Dale Pazdra said, “Kathy is a compassionate leader who truly believes in taking care of employees so they can best serve our community. I have great confidence that her experience and passion for public service make her the ideal candidate to fill this important role within our organization.”
Reul joined the city in 2016, having worked previously in the private sector for more than 20 years. Prior to her promotion to Director, Reul served as the Benefits Program Manager for three years, and was promoted to Assistant Director of Human Resources in 2019.
Before joining the city, Reul held numerous positions in the field of Human Resources, including serving as a Corporate Benefits Manager for a private company in Boca Raton for 10 years. She has extensive experience designing and implementing benefits and wellbeing programs to align with organizational strategy and provide meaningful benefits to employees.
