Administration is responsible for purchasing, capital projects, maintenance of all facilities, twelve fire stations and three administrative and support facilities. Construction, refurbishment and modification projects are all developed and managed in the Administrative area. Administration ensured the successful mitigation of projects associated with the October 2000 flood and worked closely with FEMA to obtain approval for funding and oversee the grant writing function to receive additional funding. Administration is also responsible for the timely placement of legislation for consideration at the City Commission as well as agreements with outside vendors and agencies. The section also closely monitors the hiring and promotions process as well as ensures that the payroll system is performing adequately.

In recent years, the Administration Division has met its goals of creating a Emergency Management/Public Affairs Division, improved Payroll Section performance, purchased washing machines for all fire stations for contaminated bunker gear, educated the public in hazardous materials, and obtained a Homeland Defense Bond.

The Administration Division is involved in setting initiatives for the Homeland Defense Bond monies. To date, it has been determined that the most important initiative is to provide First Responders with the protective and specialized equipment to counter threats. Some of this includes a regional disaster training facility, on-scene command van, and a nuclear biological chemical disaster cache. Further, the Division has developed a list of apparatus and equipment to be procured as a part of this Bond.

To better serve the community, the Administration Division has coordinated the aperture of two new fire stations in the communities of Little Haiti and Coral Way, respectively.

This past year, an independent consultant was hired through the Administration Division to perform a comprehensive review of organizational structure, selective administrative practices, and emergency responses resources.

Public Affairs
The Public Affairs Section is divided into two (2) primary areas: Public Information and Public Education.

Public Information Officer
The Public Information Officer (PIO) is the official spokesperson for the Department of Fire-Rescue. The PIO is responsible for responding to mass media and public requests for information, the issuing of news releases, and making statements to the media at emergency incidents. The office of the PIO also coordinates survey information and publishes articles in trade journals.

Public Education
The Public Education Section is responsible for providing citizens with important life saving messages in fire and accident prevention through direct training programs and coordinating truck and station presentations given by the men and women of the Emergency Response Division. Another major function of this Section is the responsibility for creating a better understanding of the operations of the Department throughout the community.

Public Education is involved with a wide variety of ongoing educational programs including Learn Not To Burn (Pre-K - 8th Grade), Juvenile Fire Setters Network, Injury Prevention (Pre-K - 12th grade), Fire Safety for the Workplace, High-rise Evacuation Training, Fire Drills, Hotel/Motel Fire Safety, and First Aid & CPR training.