Volusia County Fire Rescue, Halifax Health bring holiday spirit

Posted On: December 21, 2021

This week, Santa and his elves will make an early appearance at a local hospital, but are opting for a less-traditional entrance, ditching the reindeer and sleigh for climbing harnesses and rappel ropes.

At 11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 23, members of Volusia County Fire Rescue’s technical rescue team will rappel from the roof of Halifax Health’s Fountain Tower at 303 N. Clyde Morris Blvd. in Daytona Beach. The event serves as a training exercise for the team, but also offers an opportunity to bring a bit of joy to patients and staff, including children on Halifax Health’s Speediatric floor.

“While our team participates in rappel events throughout the year, we’re always looking for opportunities to engage with the community,” said Deputy Fire Chief Jeff Alberts. “We partnered with Halifax Health last December on a rappel training and it was rewarding for our team not only in terms of training, but also for the chance to bring a smile to the staff and patients at the hospital. After a tough year for everyone, we’re looking forward to returning to Halifax Health to sharpen our skills and get everyone in the holiday spirit.”

“We always enjoy the opportunity to partner with Volusia County Fire Rescue,” said Halifax Health President and Chief Executive Officer Jeff Feasel. “This will be another good training exercise, and some of our youngest patients will also get a thrill out of watching these professionals rappel down the Fountain Tower.”

And while the event provides a unique training opportunity, it also allows Volusia County Fire Rescue to provide a little extra joy during a trying year.

“We are looking forward to this event again this year,” said Tanya Wolfe, pediatric nurse manager. “It brings so much joy to the kids who thought they might miss seeing Santa because they were in the hospital. Events like this really lift the spirts of the kids, families and the staff. We’re so grateful that Volusia County Fire Rescue thought of Halifax Health for their rappel.”