12/20/2024
Destin has become only the second city in all of Florida to become a designated Veteran Safe Community! The Fire Watch is a first-of-its-kind community based solution to preventing veteran su***de. The initiative doubled the number of Watch Standers in Okaloosa County in less than three months.
There were 63 veteran su***des in Okaloosa County over the past three years, with more than half involving veterans aged 18 to 34.
Henry Angulo, Regional Programs Director for The Fire Watch, praised the city’s leadership with Bobby Wagner, Mayor and Dr Tamara Leigh Young, Public Information Director, leading the initiative. “With one of the fastest-growing veteran populations in Florida, the city’s proactive efforts to support veterans are commendable,” he said. “I hope the success of this program in Destin inspires other cities across the state to adopt similar initiatives.”
Thanks to all the individuals and businesses who participated in supporting veterans by becoming certified, and thanks to Get The Coast for shedding light on this important topic. To read the full article, go to https://www.getthecoast.com/destin-recognized-as-veteran-safe-community-through-fire-watch-program/
