Seminole County Firefighter Earns Florida Hero Recognition From Governor Desantis

Firefighter Chris Martin of the Seminole County Fire Department (SCFD) and his wife, Christina Martin recently received an honorary Florida Heroes recognition by Governor Ron DeSantis at the second annual Florida Heroes’ Reception. This distinction is given to those who have made impactful contributions to others and have displayed exceptional courage, compassion, and resilience in the face of adversity.
 
The Martins were two of 70 recipients in Florida to receive this distinguished recognition. Co-founders of the Gunner Martin Foundation, they are dedicated to advocating for water safety, drowning prevention, and providing financial assistance for swim lessons to children from families in need.
 
The Martins earned the recognition for their commitment and resilient efforts to drowning prevention education and pool safety following the tragic drowning of their son Gunner Martin in April 2016. The tragedy inspired Chris to become a firefighter and work to prevent a similar outcome for others in the community. Recently, Seminole County Government was awarded a two-year pool safety grant of more than $190,000 by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The Gunner Foundation was instrumental during the grant application process with the Seminole County Community Services Department, Community Health Division.
 
In the summer of 2023, SCFD, the Gunner Martin Foundation, and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office Community Foundation partnered to distribute nearly 400 free door alarms to residents. The alarms serve as an alert signal to parents and caregivers when a door to the pool area is opened, ultimately preventing children from entering pool areas unattended.
 
“We are extremely thankful that our Seminole County Fire Department Firefighter Chris Martin and his wife Christina Martin both serve as strong advocates in our community to educate others about drowning prevention,” said Fire Chief Matt Kinley of the Seminole County Fire Department. “The Martin family have been through a tremendous amount of pain and loss, and in my opinion, he is the definition of brave and he is a true asset as a first responder.”
 
Chris Martin also recently received the Children’s Safety Village First Responder for Seminole County award for his availing work in the community. Both he and his wife Christina are active members with the Central Florida Water Safety Task Force and work continuously on drowning prevention initiatives.
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About the Seminole County Fire Department (SCFD): Founded in 1974, the Seminole County Fire Department has proudly served a countywide population in Seminole County, Florida of nearly a half-million residents with 20 fire stations. SCFD is ISO Class 1 rated, an Internationally Accredited Agency with the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) and CAAS Accredited through the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services. SCFD provides emergency services to the unincorporated areas of the County and in the Cities of Altamonte Springs, Winter Springs, and Casselberry. The Department has first response agreements in place with the Cities of Lake Mary, Longwood, Sanford, and Oviedo. Follow SCFD on social on Facebook (@SCFD.1974), Instagram (@seminolecountyfd) and Twitter/X (@SCFDPIO). For more information, visit seminolecountyfl.gov/firedepartment.