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Suncoast Pasco News
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Good Job, Chief
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Published: September 20, 2008
To borrow a line we once heard attributed to the late Rich Litowchak, a former publisher of this newspaper, "The fact that you've been doing a job 30 years doesn't mean you've been doing that job well." On all the available evidence, that line can't be used to describe Daniel Azzariti's tenure with the New Port Richey Fire Department.
Tuesday night, the Mayor Scott McPherson and the rest of City Council and City Manager Tom O'Neill heaped praise on Azzariti. Come Oct. 1 Azzariti will retire as the city's fire and emergency services director.
Azzariti joined the Fire Department in February 1978. Back then, Fire Department personnel were often the first to arrive on the scene of a major medical emergency such as a heart attack. Unfortunately, they could do little more than the medical equivalent of hand holding because they were not certified to provide advanced life support. Instead, the stricken person had to wait for an ALS unit from Pasco County Fire Rescue to arrive. Under Azzariti the Fire Department became a full ALS provider.
During that time the city's ISO rating, which measures a fire department's ability to suppress fires, has improved by two levels, potentially lowering the home-owner insurance costs. These days, that's a big deal.
For these and many other reasons, Dan Azzariti earned the plaudits he received this week.
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