- January 30, 2025
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When it became clear in the spring of 2020 that there would likely be a shortage of personal protective equipment, Ormond Beach Fire Battalion Chief Nate Quartier knew the department needed to be innovative.
Firefighters continued to do their duty in responding to calls, only now they carried another layer of danger due to daily exposures to individuals outside their respective households amid guidance to reduce contact as much as possible in the general public. Quartier began looking at ways to reuse N95 masks, and came across an idea stemming from a fire department in Colorado which was working with a university as they experimented with ways to sanitize equipment using UV lights.
Quartier took that concept and the department developed a box with UV light to sanitize masks in a few minutes, allowing firefighters to reuse them without damaging the N95s. A box was then built for every fire station in Ormond Beach.
“It was neat to find something that worked and that was fairly easy to implement for not a lot of cost," Quartier said. "We weren’t sure when our mask supply was going to run out.”
The Fire Department also shared their knowledge with other agencies in case they wanted to build their own.
“Nate is that person you go to for all the technical aspects of Firefighting. He manages the team that designs our fire trucks and selects the equipment on them. It’s no wonder he was instrumental in a project such as building equipment that can sanitize masks using UV light. Nate has also spearheaded several campaigns to secure funding for special projects such as the installation of traffic control pre-emption devices that allow emergency vehicles to move through heavy traffic more efficiently. Nate is the kind of guy who doesn’t talk much, but when he does people listen. He can be barking orders while managing an emergency scene, or he can be a soft-spoken expert in firefighting and rescue operations.”
Richard 'Rusty' Sievers, Ormond Beach Fire Chief
Being a first responder during a pandemic has been interesting, said Quartier. Though he currently works in an administrative role, he has bore witness to the fluctuations in call increases related to COVID-19. Two of his main priorities were that shifts were adequately staffed to handle the call volume, and that personal protective equipment was being routinely disinfected.
“It proved big-time for us," Quartier said. "With the exposures and being out there with everybody, we really haven’t had anyone come down with COVID from exposure so far.”
Quartier began his firefighting career in 1999, joining OBFD in 2000 after a short stint with the Ponce Inlet Fire Department. Born and raised in South Daytona, Quartier was a lifeguard as a teenager and later worked in Volusia County's Beach Safety division. He later completed training as a paramedic, and as friends look at careers in firefighting, Quartier decided to give it a go as well. He would later meet his wife at OBFD, who is now a captain with the department.
“I just liked the opportunity to help people," Quartier said. "It seemed like something that would be very rewarding.”
For the last 20 years, Quartier has responded to a diverse range of calls. From cats in trees to kids stuck in a stairway railing, and even the odd person who really wants a sandwich at 2 a.m., Quartier said they are a "catch-all for calls."
Sometimes responding to those calls puts units in a better position to help someone else in need. For example, Quartier recalled how a crew of firefighters responded to an elderly couple's call for help when the water line to the fridge broke. The firefighters helped them turn the water off and mop up the mess, and as they were wrapping up, they received a call to respond to a nearby structure fire.
“It may not be that serious to us, but it’s something serious to them and those are the ones that make you feel good," Quartier said. "It’s easy enough to help out with and we’re already there. If you can make someone’s day easily, then why not?”
The OBFD patch states three words that stick out to Quartier: Courage, and commitment, and compassion. In that same vein, a quote that sticks out to him is "Imagine having done nothing."
“If I hadn’t done anything in this situation, what would happen?" Quartier said. "If nobody bothered to stop and help this person, what would have happened? I think that goes along with the fire department and what we do.”
