Gold returns to fire service Rabies alert issued for parts of Marion County

The Florida Department of Health in Marion County (DOH-Marion) has issued a rabies alert after three raccoons have tested positive for rabies.

According to the news release, Marion County residents who live or work in the following areas are strongly advised to maintain a heightened awareness that rabies is active near them:

• In Silver Springs, north of County Road 314, south of Gores Landing, east of Northeast 147th Avenue Road and west of CR 314A.

• In the Fellowship area, north of CR 328, south of CR 464B, east of Northwest 150th Avenue and west of Northwest 110th Avenue.

• In the Blitchton area, north of State Road 326, south of Northwest 110th Street, east of U.S. 27 and west of CR 225.

Rabies is a disease of the nervous system and is fatal to humans and warm-blooded animals. The only treatment for human exposure to rabies is rabies-specific immune globulin and rabies immunization. Appropriate treatment started soon after the exposure will protect an exposed person from the disease, the release noted.

Residents and visitors are advised to take the following precautions to prevent exposure to rabies:

• Avoid all contact with wildlife, particularly raccoons, bats, foxes, skunks, otters, bobcats and coyotes. Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home.

• Never handle unfamiliar animals (wild or domestic), even if they appear friendly.

By Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@ocalagazette.com

Amonth and a half after Jeff Gold’s resignation as a Marion County Commissioner, he has returned to fire service, this time with The Villages Public Safety Department as a division chief of administration.

“When I left the commission in early June, my only plans were to continue working part-time, and to finish the book I had started detailing what I had experienced as a politician in my six years as a commissioner, but I was told about the position with The Villages Public Safety Department and applied. I went through the competitive hiring process, was offered the job, and started July 10,” Gold explained.

Gold probably could have had his pick of fire departments to join, given his longdecorated history as a first responder. He has a doctorate in education, master’s degrees in fire and emergency services and criminal justice, a graduate certificate in emergency management, graduate and undergraduate studies in business and emergency medical services, and is a state certified fire officer, inspector and investigator.

“The Villages Public Safety is a growing and progressive fire department with excellent leadership and support of the administration,” Gold said.

“In 2020, when the pandemic hit, both my wife and I saw the strain on our healthcare providers and first responders. She is a nurse, and I am a firefighter paramedic, so we both started volunteering in our community and then later went part-time, working around my commission schedule to fill in the gaps left by those who quit,” Gold stated.

Returning to full-time fire service feels right, he said.

“This is the happiest I’ve been at work since I retired from the sheriffs’ office in 2014. Those I am working with at The Villages Fire Rescue are genuine people who put serving the community first and have a true servant’s heart. What else could I ask for?” he said.

Gold, a Republican, was first elected in 2016 as the commissioner in District 3, which includes the Belleview area. He won a second term in 2020 against Bobby D. Dobkowski, capturing three-quarters of the vote. His second term would have expired in 2024.

Marion County Supervisor of Elections Wesley Wilcox said that in such situations, the governor will appoint someone to serve the rest of the term. Interested applicants do not have to live in the district. The application can be found at flgov.com on the “Appointments Office” page.

An animal with rabies could infect other animals that have not received a rabies vaccination. Domestic animals are at risk if they are not vaccinated; rabies is always a danger in wild animal populations, the release stated.

If you have been bitten or scratched by a wild or domestic animal, seek medical attention and report the injury to DOH-Marion by calling (352) 629-0137.

If your pet is bitten by a wild animal, seek immediate veterinary assistance for the animal, and contact Marion County Animal Services at (352) 671-8727.

• Do not feed or unintentionally attract wild animals with open garbage cans or trash.

• Keep rabies vaccinations current for all pets.

• Keep pets under direct supervision so they do not come into contact with wild animals.

• Prevent bats from entering living quarters or occupied spaces in homes, churches, schools and other similar areas where they might encounter people and pets.

For more information, go to floridahealth.gov/diseasesand-conditions/rabies