The Wandering Disciple

This week the patch collection took on a new look as I added military flight suit patches into the collection.  With a visit to Lakeland last weekend for their holiday air show, I decided it would be a pretty cool addition to the collection to had the patch for military aircraft/demo teams I have photographed.  I start the collection by picking up the patches for the F-16 Viper Demo Team and the F-35 Lighting II Demo Team.  I hope to grab more as I add more military aircraft to the website. In addition to the flight suit patches, here are the rest of the patches added to the collection this week: Astatula (FL) Police Department  Atlantis (FL) Police Department  Escambia County (FL) Sheriff’s Office  F-16 Viper Demo Team (USAF) F-35A Lightning II Demo Team (USAF) Hillsborough County (FL) Sheriff’s Office  Islamorada (FL) Fire Rescue  Martin County (FL) Sheriff’s Office  Miami-Dade (FL) Police Department  Pace (FL) Fire Rescue District...

The patch collection grew a bit slower this week due to the holidays but I was still able to add a few new ones to the collection.  This weeks new patches were heavy on the law enforcement side with a few new sheriff's offices added to the collection.   Here is a look at what was added to the patch wall this week: Pinellas County (FL) Sheriff’s Office  Okeechobee County (FL) Sheriff’s Office  Osceola County (FL) Sheriff’s Office  Oviedo (FL) Fire Rescue  Sumter County (FL) Sheriff’s Office  Wakulla County (FL) Sheriff’s Office Click on the patch above to view the digital patch wall .

With the Thanksgiving Holiday this week, the collection grew rather slowly this week. More law enforcement agencies joined the collection this week. I also got a patch from one of my favorite departments, Reedy Creek. Reedy Creek is the fire department responsible for covering the Walt Disney World resort.  Here is a look at the patches added this week:  Brevard County (FL) Sheriff's Office  Hernando County (FL) Sheriff's Office  Highlands County (FL) Sheriff's Office  Jacksonville (FL) Sheriff's Office  Madeira Beach (FL) Fire Department  Reedy Creek (FL) Emergency Services  Click on the patch above to view the entire Patch Collection .

This week saw the collection grow by twenty departments. The collection continues to be from Florida but I have begun to reach out to departments outside the sunshine state. I also received my first law enforcement patch this week. I am still considering adding LEO patches but it seems like that may be tougher due to security protocols and the fact I no longer work for a law enforcement agency.  Here is a look at the patches collected this week:  Broward County (FL) Sheriff’s Office  Delray Beach (FL) Fire Rescue  Dunedin (FL) Fire Rescue  Gainesville (FL) Fire Rescue  Lafayette County (FL) Fire Department  Lakeland (FL) Fire Rescue  Leon County (FL) EMS  Navarre Beach (FL) Fire Rescue  North Okaloosa (FL) Fire Rescue  Ocala (FL) Fire Rescue  Orange County (FL) Fire Rescue  Sanford (FL) Fire Department  South Pasadena (FL) Fire Department  Southern Manatee (FL) Fire Rescue  St Augustine (FL) Fire Departme...

This week the patches received come from one end of the state (Miami) to the other (Ocean City) and a bunch of stops in between.   If there was a theme to be had this week, it would be beaches as many of the patches come from coastal department.   Ten new departments joined the collection this week including:  Jacksonville Beach (FL) Fire Rescue  Lake Wales (FL) Fire Department  Largo (FL) Fire Rescue  Miami (FL) Fire Rescue  Miami Beach (FL) Fire Department  Ocean City-Wright (FL) Fire Control District  Oldsmar (FL) Fire Rescue  Osceola County (FL) Fire Rescue  Sanibel (FL) Fire Rescue  Treasure Island (FL) Fire Rescue Click on the patch above to view the entire Public Safety Patch Collection .

This week the collection added a few of the neighboring departments as well as the addition of the State of Florida EMT patch.  Eleven new department joined the collection this week including:  Desoto County (FL) Fire Rescue  Hernando County (FL) Fire Rescue  Hillsborough County (FL) Fire Rescue  LaBelle (FL) Fire Department  Lake County (FL) Fire Rescue  Lehigh Acres (FL) Fire Rescue  Lauderdale by the Sea (FL) Fire Rescue  Manatee County (FL) Department of Public Safety  Manatee County (FL) EMS  North Collier (FL) Fire Rescue  State of Florida – EMT Click on the patch above to view the entire Public Safety Patch Collection .

This week saw the collection grow with the addition of my hometown fire department (Englewood) as well as adding the patches of two of the three department I have spent my career with (Sarasota County and Lee County Port Authority).  This week the collection grew by twelve departments.   Here are the departments that joined the collection this week: Coral Springs-Parkland (FL) Fire Department  Crystal River (FL) Fire Department  Davie (FL) Fire Rescue  Englewood Area (FL) Fire Control District  Greater Naples (FL) Fire Rescue  Lee County Port Authority (FL) Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting  Lighthouse Point (FL) Fire Rescue  Panama City Beach (FL) Fire Rescue  Pensacola (FL) Fire Department  Sarasota County (FL) Fire Department  Sunrise (FL) Fire Rescue  Tamarac (FL) Fire Rescue Click on the photo above to view the entire Public Safety Patch Collection . 

There are many traditions in public safety.  Much of the profession is driven by tradition.  One of these traditions past down from generation to generation is patch collecting.  On the walls of firehouses and police stations throughout the country you will find walls of patches from across the globe.  Even Disney got on board with their collection inside the Main Street Fire House at Walt Disney World.   This has been something I have always wanted to do and as I sit in my office and stare at the four empty white walls each and every day, I figured there is no better time than now to start.  But I am combining this new collection with my love of photography to bring you an digital patch wall as well.  As I collect new patches, I will post them on the wall and include a little bio of the department here on the site. I hope you enjoy this new endeavor as much as I do.  I already have a few in the collection and here's to many many more.  ...