burns. When he was fully, growth.
 Shealed, though, he went right "I wasn't ready to retire,"
 IL H** T E S backto work. said Rodriguez. "I wanted to go
 S. | "It's a dangerous job," said out on my own terms. I miss
 ..... L ::: T Rodriguez. "But I loved it." being around the boys. But, I
 In. 1998, Rodriguez suffered have no regrets. I'm proud to
 by Paul Guzzo a heart attack during a train- have been a firefighter.
 Sl ing exercise, forcing him into "Being a firefighter is not
 retirement. just being a man with a hose.
 He joined the fire service as Cuscaden Park. to college, but I'd been away When hejoined the county's It's about being a man who
a ringer. He retired a hero and Bom to Luz and Jose Ramon from home for a long time and fire rescue team, it was only is so dedicated to serving the
role model. "Mongo" Rodriguez, along with my mother really missed me. I one-third fulltime employees public and keeping them safe
 It was 1956 and the now his brother Roland, he grew up couldn't disappoint her." (the other two-thirds were vol- that he's willing to put his life
76-year-old Gilbert Rodriguez, at 2806 16th Street, near the Upon returning to Tampahe unteers) and one of the small- on the line. Firefighters are
namesake for both the Hills- El Paraiso Cigar Factory. began workingwith Blue Stack, est in the state. Today, it is heroes."
borough County Fire Rescue's Dreaming of becoming the which built mine sweepers. A one of the largest fire rescue's And to many of those he-
Falkenburg Road short time later in the State of Florida. Rodri- roes here in Hillsborough
Faikenburg oad he found himself guez'work as a trainer played County, Gilbert Rodriguez is
the county fire G lbert Rodriguez being confront- a large role in the fire rescue's their hero.
thecounty fire Red by Joe Tay-
rescue's leader- lor aby Le Tropi-
ship award, wasr at a Tropi-
simply enjoying cana Restaurant
a sandwich at La about becoming NVITATION TO BID
Tocana Res Tampa Fire Res- Sealed bids for PAINTING AND SCUPPER REPAIR AT
taurant during cuesnewesfirt SULPHUR SPRING ELEM. will be received by the School
his lunhen break basemank ater Board of Hillsborough County (SBHC), Florida in the Office of
and former ill- he took lthe ciil the Supervisor of Purchasing, Third Floor, School Adminis-
sb orough High service test and trative Center, 901 East Kennedy Boulevard, Tampa, Florida
Scborough Highl on September until 3:00 PM, Tuesday, May 16, 2006. (The mailing address is
teammate Joe 1, 1956, Gilbert P. O. Box 3408, Tampa, Florida 33601). Bids will not be
teamor mate Joe Rodriguezjoined accepted after 3:00 PM of the above date. Bids will be
m an offr tma Tampa Fire Res- opened and read aloud in the Purchasing Department,
hwod an fer that ie located on the third floor of the School Administrative
would change sT a m p a s Center.
life aforever training back Contractors desiring to bid this project are subject to an En-
Fire Rescue need- then was a com- couragement Affirmative Action Plan as identified within the
ed a first baseman edy," he said. "We bidding documents.
for their softball were shown a few
for ther softball were shown a ewo- There will be a mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting on Wednesday,
eRodriguez, who pe ihtng rs May 3, 2006, at 2:00 p.m., at Sulphur Springs Elem. 8412-
in driou ngez, and taught how 13th Street, Tampa, FL 33604.
in his younger to use the nozzle IT IS THE BIDDER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO SEE THAT BIDS
onthe wasebal s and thrown right ARE DELIVERED TO THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT AS
diamond. "Joe into the mix. REFERENCED ABOVE. BID SECURITY MUST BE SUB-
Taylor wanted Luckily, I had my MITTED WITH BID. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS.
me tojoin the fire military training NOTICE TO ALL BIDDERS: The School Administrative
rescue simply to to fall back on. Center is a "security" building, therefore, visitors will be

es e ta "When you're n tha ire cal, it a comes down to thaIwe truble."tt i
 play pa sofiball.Withouta t, i required to obtain a Visitors Pass prior to entering the
 eTaspasote "When you're on that fire call, t all comes down to the ruble. building. A photo identification will need to be presented
 team went on to basics, those things you learned in training are what He fou g h t at this time.
 win 36 straight will enable a firefighter to keep the public safe from fires for Tampa Plans and specifications may be obtained from the architect at
 gmes and Ro- danger. That's why training is so important. When Fire Rescue for a cost of (Fifty dollars) $50 a set per site. Complete information
 driguez went on the flames get ho, it al comes down to your roots." 24 years before regarding bidding documents and other information may be
 drto enjoy a 40 year get hot it all omes do o or roos retiring as a cap- obtained from the Architect/Engineer:
 career in fire res- tain in 1980. He John J. McKenna Architect P.A.
 cue, working for both the city next Lou Gherig, Rodriguez wasn't ready or retirenent, 1005 West Cleveland Street
 and county departments, and spent hours upon hours on though, and immediately ap- Tampa, FL 33606-1913
 becoming perhaps the most Cascaden Park's baseball dia- plied for a job with Hillsbor- Phone (813) 258-5559
 popular fire rescue trainer in mond along with his friends ough County Fire Rescue. N idd wi w h bd fr a p of th ae
 Hillsborough County history. and fellow baseball stars Tony Unfortunately, there were no No bidder may withdraw his bid for a period of thirty days afer
 "The firefimhters he trained Gonzalez and Lou Garcia. openings, but his friends in date set for bid opening.
 think he walks on water," said He starred on. Hillsborough the county suggested he apply THE SCHOOL BOARD OF
 Rodriguez' wife, Winell. "They'd High School's baseball team for an opening as a fire rescue HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FLORIDA
 do anything for him. He had and played in the inter-social trainer at Hillsborough Com- MARYELLEN ELIA
 such compassion for all of leagues and on a barnstorming munity College. SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS 47-4/21/06 3T
 them. He taught them, he loved (exhibition) team that trav- "It was a perfect fit," said 0 T
 them, and he protected them. eled the region playing teams Rodriguez. "It gave me an op-
 He was always there for them comprised of Negro League portunity to pass my knowl- INVlTATION TO BID
 no matter what." players. edge.on.
 Which would explain why "The black people would "As a trainer, I was like a Sealed bids for DEMOLITION AND INSTALLATION OF
 the county continues to honor crowd around that field hop- drill sergeant, real tough. But. INTERCOM SYSTEM AT THE FOLLOWING SCHOOLS, CY-
 him, firstwith the award in his ing to see their team kick the I had to be. If a firefighter left PRESS CREEK ELEM., MANGO ELEM., SUMMERFIELD
 name and recently with the fire white team's, butt," laughed my class unable to take care of ELEM, TRAPNELL ELEM. AND YATES ELEM. will be
 station. Rodriguez. "And they usually himself, how could he take care received by the School Board of Hillsborough County (SBHC),
 Rodriguez finds it impossible did." of the public? Thi idea of red Florida in the Office of the Supervisor of Purchasing, Third
 to go anywhere in Hillsborough After high school he found suspenders and sitting around Floor, School Administrative Center, 901 East Kennedy Boule-
 County without bumping into work at Sunny Brook Dairy, playing Pinochle is bull. To be vard, Tampa, Florida until 3:00 PM, Tuesday, May 16, 2006.
 a forrmer student from his 18 but with the Korean War in a firefighter you have to study (The mailing address is P. O. Box 3408, Tampa, Florida
 years of fire rescue training. full swing Rodriguez fulfilled hard and train even harder. 33601). Bids will not be accepted after 3:00 PM of the above
 Even when not out and about his patriotic duty and enlisted You need to be at both your date. Bids will be opened and read aloud in the Purchas-
 town, former students often in the Navy. mental and physical peak." ing Department, located on the third floor of the School
 stop by his house to visit. And, He was stationed on board In 1982, two years after he Administrative Centera
 when a former student earns the USS Nancy, which deliv- began training, Hillsborough Admintrative Center.
 a promotion, they request ered both cargo and personnel County Fire Rescue had an Contractors desirin to bid this project are subject to an En-
 that Rodriguez present them into the heart of battle. opening and Rodriguez re- couragement Affirmative Action Plan as identified within the
 with their new badge at the "I'1 never figure out.what turned to active fire rescue for bidding documents.
 ceremony. the hell we were fighting for," another 16 years, rising to the There will be a mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting on Thursday
 r" never thought I was a said Rodriguez. "But I volun- rank of battalion chief, all the April 20, 2006 at 10:00 a.m. at SDHC's A/C & Energy Mgmt
 great trainer," said a modest teered anyway. Anything I can while continuing to train future Department located at 4905 E. 32nd Ave., Tampa, FL 33605.
 Rodriguez. "But obviously do for my country I'll do." firefighters at HCC.
 someone did. I am very thank- While stationed in San When Rodriguez began train- T I THE BIDDERS RESPONSIBILITY TO SEE THAT BIDS
 ful to have been a fire rescue Francisco, Rodriguez attended ing at HCC, the book was ARE DELIVERED TO THE PURCHASING DEPARTENT AS
 trainer for so long. I can't ex- damage control fire fighting maybe half an inch thick and REFERENCED ABOVE. BID SECURITY MUST BE SUB
 plain how proud I am when I school and this training came the course was 240 hours long. MITTED WTH BID. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS.
 to all my students-as my boys casion in.Korea when the USS and the course is 500 hours. Center is a "security" building, therefore, visitors will be
 serving the public at a high Nancy would catch fire during "Fire fighting is hard so the required to obtain a Visitors Pass prior to entering the
 level. They never forgot what I an attack. course should be hard also," building. A photo identification will need to be presented
 taught them." "Trying to put those devil he said. "We run the hell out at this time.
 "When you're on that fire red flames out made me feel of them, miles a day, and burn Plans and specifications may be obtained from the architect at
 call, it all comes down to good," said Rodriguez. "But I one house a week for them to a cost of (One hundred dollars) $100 a set. Complete informar
 the basics, those things you still really wasn't looking at fire train in. I always went into the tion regarding bidding documents and other information may be
 learned in training are what fighting as a career." burn house with them, walking obtained from the Architect/Engineer:
 will enable a firefighter to keep Exactly three years, 11 and talking them through the Tanase& Associates, Inc.
 the public safe from danger. months and 28 days after process until they were confi- 3701 W. Swann Ave.
 That's why training is so im- enlisting, his tour of duty was dent and ready. "0 F 36
 portant. When the fames get complete. He planned on hang- During a burning exercise Ta3mpa, 7FL274 33609
 hot, it all comes down to your ing around Berkeley, California in Wimauma, what looked to 813 8752724
 roots." and attending college under be a jug of alcohol was ac- No bidder may withdraw his bid for a period of thirty days after
 Rodriguez' fire rescue roots the GI Bill of Rights, but de- cidentally left in the house. It date set for bid opening.
 were planted in the U.S. Navy cided returning to Tampa was caught fire and spit flames at THE SCHOOL BOARD OF
 and later in Tampa Fire Res- in his best interests. Rodriguez like a dragon, cover- HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FLORIDA
 cue's training program. But, "Berkeley, wow, what a wild ing his torso. The flames were
 his roots as a man were plant- town that was!" exclaimed extinguished, but he was left MARYELLEN ELlA
 ed firmly in Ybor City and Rodriguez. "I wanted to go with second and third degree SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS 4/7-4/21/063T

 SPage 14/LA GACETA/Friday' April 21,2006