VOLUME 4 ISSUE 21
Memorial Day Monday, May 29.
MAY 26 - JUNE 1, 2023
$2
Gold unexpectedly resigns Marion County commission seat, effective in July By Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@ocalagazette.com
M Local tragedies at MCFR highlight significant needs By Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@ocalgazette.com
J
eff Gold has had a long career as a first responder in law enforcement and fire services well before being elected as a Marion County commissioner in 2016. Over the years, he has witnessed more than his share of horrors, some of which take longer than others to process. Gold recalls arriving at an accident scene once where three children were trapped in a car that was on fire. Despite his best efforts, including sustaining burns himself, he could not rescue the children. Experiences like that, he said, especially when children are involved, stay with him. Marion County Fire Rescue Chief James Banta can relate to the anguish. “Sure, I drive down certain roads, and
I recall what tragedy happened there,” he said. “You don’t just forget.” The unique emotional challenges of being a first responder, coupled with other traditional workforce pressures such as an understaffed team struggling with an overwhelming workload, have all become part of the discussion as Marion County leaders search for ways to help those who come running when the rest of us are in danger. Focusing their attention are two suicides within MCFR less than two weeks apart in January. There have been four deaths classified as suicides within the department since 2019; however, other department losses have left lingering questions about whether that figure is inaccurate. Banta noted that suicides have increased among firefighters and
paramedics nationwide, even while it’s often difficult to track which deaths are suicides. The Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance (FBHA) estimates that only 40% of firefighter suicides are reported. The 2017 Ruderman White Paper on Mental Health and Suicide of First Responders found first responders, including law enforcement, are more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty. The report said a main reason why some first responders avoid mental health services that could help them cope with trauma is a stigma, real or perceived, about seeking help within a profession that prioritizes bravery and toughness. Banta wants to overcome those barriers for the men and women in his department. He said meeting the emotional and mental health needs of his members has risen to See Firefighters, page A4
USMC veteran recalls service Edward Durand was deployed to SE Asia and served on Marine One, transporting President Bill Clinton.
Edward Durand, who served in the United States Marine Corps from 1985 to 2005 as an air crewman, salutes by the flag concourse at the Ocala-Marion County Veterans Memorial Park in Ocala on Monday, May 22, 2023. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2023.
By Andy Fillmore andy@ocalagazette.com
E
dward Durand, a 20-year U.S. Marine Corps veteran whose family’s service to country spans four generations, will be thinking of his fallen comrades on Memorial Day.
“I’ll be paying respects to the friends I lost during my service,” Durand said. Durand plans to attend the Memorial Day ceremonies at the Ocala/Marion County Veterans Memorial Park, which will begin at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 29. “Memorial Day is not about
barbecues,” Durand said. He noted that the observation of Memorial Day began as Decoration Day. The article “How ‘Decoration Day’ became Memorial Day” at Military. com states the first official Decoration Day observance was held May 30, 1868, at Arlington National Cemetery. “May 30 was a day touted by the Grand Army of the Republic, an association of Union Civil War veterans, as an official day of remembrance for people across the country. The idea was to honor the war’s dead by decorating the graves of Union soldiers,” the article states. It indicates the observance was accepted by all former Union states by 1890 and became known as Memorial Day to “honor all fallen American troops.” The 1968 Uniform Monday Holiday Act specified Memorial Day would be held on Monday and “codified the name Memorial Day into law,”
according to the article. Durand’s family history is steeped in military service. His maternal grandfather, Glen Paulich, served in WWII and parachuted into Normandy on D-Day. His father, Edward Gene Durand, a career Air Force veteran, served two tours in the Vietnam War. He died in 1995 at age 49 from nonservice-related causes. See Remembering, page A3
IF YOU GO
arion County Commissioner Jeff Gold tendered his resignation to the board chair on Tuesday, effective after the last board meeting in July. Gold wrote in his letter to Curry, “I have achieved everything I can as Marion County Commissioner and feel I can better serve the community, as well as the state and nation, in other capacities.” He told the “Gazette” that he had no immediate plans to share other than continuing to volunteer his time as a first responder in Marion County. During board comments at the close of the May 2 commission meeting, Gold expressed frustration about the political jockeying that goes on behind the scenes. He did not answer direct questions from fellow commissioners about his intentions to run again. Gold, a Republican, was first elected in 2016 as commissioner in District 3, which includes the Belleview area. He won a second term in 2020 against Bobby D. Dobkowski, capturing threequarters of the vote. His second term expires in 2024. Marion County Supervisor of Elections Wesley Wilcox said in situations such as these, the governor would appoint someone to serve the rest of the term. Interested applicants do not have to live in the district. The application can be found at flgov.com on the “Appointments Office.” Marion County Commission Chair Craig Curry told the “Gazette” he was sad about Gold’s decision. “I love Jeff Gold. He’s a solid guy, and I enjoyed working with him.” Gold has a long career as a first responder, both in fire service and law enforcement, and he has been recognized with multiple medals of valor and other commendations from various agencies. Gold also has earned a doctorate of education and healthcare administration and a master’s degree in Criminal Justice, and has performed undergraduate coursework in the areas of business, fire science and emergency medicine. Yet, he shared that he’s considering more “educational opportunities.”
WHAT: Memorial Day Remembrance Program WHEN: 10 a.m., Monday, May 29 WHERE: Ocala/Marion County Veterans Memorial Park, 2602 SE Fort King St., Ocala WHO: Marion County Veterans Services, (352) 671-8422
File photo: Commissioner Jeff Gold listens during the Marion County Commission meeting in the McPherson Governmental Complex in Ocala on Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]
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