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Fire Chief David McCallister said he doesn't have the resources to follow up with alerting the media that a tragic situation has resulted in death as was the case over the weekend wuith a 9-year-old girl ewho died of severe burns in a shed fire.NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Fire Chief David McCallister confirmed the 9-year-old girl badly burned Friday night after she and an 8-year-old boy also burned playing with lighters in a backyard shed in the 300 block of Conrad Drive died the following day at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando died Saturday, but added he doesn't know when she was pronounced dead.
He also said he didn't even have information readily available even as to even the victim's name who was flown by helicopter to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando while the boy was transported by ambulance to Halifax Hospital in Daytona Beach. "Right now I don't have any official documents to go on," McCallister said in a return telephone call to Headline Surfer just after 11 a.m., three hours after the internet newspaper called his office at least three times.
Asked how his agency learned of the child's death, McCallister responded, "The News-Journal told us Sunday that she died. We learned it from them. We tried calling Arnold Palmer to confirm it and all we could get was the child wasn't admitted any more. That doesn't mean the child has died. We just didn't know."
Asked if the News-Journal told him how they got their information, McCallister said, "I don't know. Maybe they got it from a family member."
McCallister said he and the fire marshall, Jeff Lariscy -- who actually works for Edgewater but his services provided part time to New Smyrna Beach -- were told Monday that the child had died, but he was not aware when she was pronounced dead or even her identity. He did not elaborate as to how they confirmed the death. The News-Journal had reported in itsTuesday morning edition that the fire department was not releasing the girl's name because she's a minor. McCallister, however, confirmed that the child's name, was not exempt from public record, especially after death once relatives had been notified, which was the case Monday. Headline Surfer asked for the name in an e-mail directed to McCallister and Police Chief Ron Pagano that was copied to the city manager and commission overnight Monday. And reiterated its request for the name to be released in the interview with McCallister. The name hasn't been released as of this afternoon.
McCallister said he's aware some media outlets were not told of the girl's death, but he said his department's assigned public information officer, Randy Wright put out a press release shortly after the 6 p.m. Friday night incident. "It's up to the media members to follow up," McCallister said. "We don't have time for this. The media should all be working together to share information."
When told that most law enforcement and fire safety departments follow up with additional press releases, especially when a tragic situation had resulted in a death," the fire chief said, "All we push is the original press release -- I'm sorry this little girl died, but at the end of the day this is what my manager's wanted for services. It's up to the news organizations to seek what has happened."
When told that most law enforcement and fire safety departments follow up with additional press releases, especially when a tragic situation had resulted in a death," the fire chief said, "All we push is the original press release -- I'm sorry this little girl died, but at the end of the day this is what my manager's wanted for services. It's up to the news organizations to seek what has happened."
When Headline Surfer pointed out that it had indeed inquired as to the nature of the injuries to both children, the PIO said he couldn't release information because of federal HIPPA patient confidentiality laws. McCallister said all he could do was apologize. Headline Surfer inquired of Mayor Adam Barringer and Commissioners Judy Reiker, Jack Grasty, Jim Hathaway and Lynne Plaskett, but only Hathaway, who is running for the district 3 seat on the Volusia County Council against New Smyrna Beach resident and former elected School board member Deb Denys and Edgewater Councilman Justin Kennedy, responded.
Hathaway said, "I'm going to ask the city manager tonight: Does the fire department have the necessary tools to accomplish its mission."
City Manager Pam Brangaccio was asked earlier today why the fire department had not released information in a timely manner to all media through the standard press release when such a tragic situation has resulted in death. She responded, "I'm not going to get into any of that. You can ask the fire chief that when he calls you back."
McCallister said he doesn't have the resources to follow up with situations like what occurred here and meeting the needs of the media. McCallister said he didn't have the time to get into details about the fire because he was preparing for a budget meeting tonight at city hall.
"If we give the media the initial point of information that's all we can do," the fire chief said. "That's our new normal. The folks at the News-Journal told us she died. We have never formally released that. To this day, I don't have anything formal that she died."
"If we give the media the initial point of information that's all we can do," the fire chief said. "That's our new normal. The folks at the News-Journal told us she died. We have never formally released that. To this day, I don't have anything formal that she died."
Whether McAllister has what he needs budget wise is not something he himself has clearly outlined, except to say the fire marshall's position was cut out of the budget last year, something the city manager said was not critical. The commission is expected to vote on a tentative budget that calls for 2 percent raises across the boards.
The only formal document Headline Surfer has obtained from the police or fire departments is a one-page incident report with a two-sentence description that there was a fire and two children were transported to hospitals for burns. It doesn't even list their dates of birth.
New Smyrna Beach Police spokesman Lt. Mike Brouillette said the fire department is the lead agency so he had nothing to add. McAllister said he had no information to release on the circumstances of the case or whether it would result in criminal charges, pending completion of the investigation. He said it would be up to media outlets to follow up.