The City of Destin has become the second city in Florida to receive the Fire Watch Certification, marking a milestone in the state’s efforts to prevent veteran suicides through community engagement.

• Derek Collins, Regional Programs Director for North Florida at The Fire Watch, presented the certification on Monday, December 16, recognizing Destin’s achievement as the state’s second Veteran Safe Community.

“The Fire Watch is a first-of-its-kind community based solution to preventing veteran suicide,” Collins said. “The City of Destin participated in a prototype program where city government, public business and individuals were trained in our Watch Stander program.”

The initiative, led by Dr. Tamara Young, the city’s public information manager, and Mayor Bobby Wagner, involved extensive community outreach through business presentations, door-to-door engagement, and magazine articles. Their efforts doubled the number of Watch Standers in Okaloosa County in less than three months.

During the presentation, Wagner highlighted the program’s significance, citing VA data showing 63 veteran suicides 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 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.”

According to Collins, areas where the Fire Watch program operates have seen a 16% decrease in veteran suicides. 

“My request to everyone is to join us,” said Mayor Wagner. “It’s really just two eyeballs at a time making sure that we can do what’s right for those who have served our country.”