Following in the footsteps of his father, Captain Frank Wells has been a dedicated firefighter for 22 years and was awarded the 2008 Firefighter of the Year Award by the City of Tampa. He is currently employed at the Downtown Tampa Fire Station Number One and has been a paramedic for the last 12 years. As a rescue team manager for Tampa Bay Regional Urban Search and Rescue Task Force Three, he has performed numerous search and rescue missions throughout the Gulf coast during natural disasters including a 10-day rescue mission in Biloxi during Hurricane Katrina. His extensive training includes certifications in urban search and rescue and technical rescue training. Captain Wells instructs new recruits, on-duty personnel and outside agencies at the fire training academy in the City of Tampa. Topics under his instruction include training for basic recruits, E.M.S., vehicle operation and various heavy rescue training techniques. Captain Wells also brings his experience in public safety to his community by teaching Community Emergency Response Team classes. What he enjoys most about his career is knowing that he is making a difference not only when he is fighting fires and performing rescues, but also when he can train others to make that difference as well.