There are about 60 vacancies within Polk County's Fire Rescue Division. Attracting and retaining employees has plagued the department for decades. Hall said the excessive overtime is partly to blame.

The body of the child who disappeared while swimming in a Winter Haven lake has been recovered, according to the Polk County ...

Smith has served in various roles within the department since 2003. The Polk County Commission voted to approve Shawn Smith on Tuesday to serve as the new Fire Rescue Chief. Smith was ...

(WFLA) — Polk County Fire Rescue has the go-ahead from county commissioners to hire 75 new firefighters and paramedics. The problem is the department ... a week which is 12 hours above a normal ...

(WFLA) — “To be honest with you, I didn’t like the way things were going,” said newly-appointed Polk County Fire Rescue Chief Shawn Smith. Chief Smith, 51, has seen the department change ...

Fire Rescue personnel logged 300,000 hours of overtime in Polk County last year. “That is so far and beyond any other fire department agency,” Hall said. “I can't even give you another ...

Polk County Fire Rescue took the woman to a local hospital and she was treated for her injuries. She has since been released. According to PCSO, they believe a bullet was fired from someone ...

The Polk County Commission voted to approve Shawn Smith on Tuesday to serve as the new Fire Rescue Chief. Smith was appointed by County Manager Bill Beasley. He had served as interim fire chief ...