Who was Bum Farto?
Unfortunately, these elements of Bum Farto’s story only scratch the surface of a city leader who was loved, honored and respected on an island where all of those things are hard-earned. Bum was promoted to Key West Fire Chief in 1964, taking over the four-truck, 40-man department from Charles Cremata.
What happened to keykey West’s Bum Farto?
Key West Fire Chief Joseph “Bum” Farto disappeared on Feb. 16, 1976, while awaiting sentencing for a drug trafficking conviction stemming from Operation Conch – a sting operation that found Farto allegedly selling cocaine from the city’s fire station.
What did chief Farto do to help the community?
Chief Farto introduced fire prevention education to the community, set up systems that helped lower fire insurance premiums, and brought training incentives to the department. The department was Farto’s life, and he let his men know how important they were to him by introducing 10-year, 15-year, and 20-year service award pins.
How did Miami Fire Chief Frank Farto get traffic lights green?
The fire department created a system that turned traffic lights near the station green with the push of a button, along with a hotline button to Farto’s home phone that required no dialing. “I answer all fire calls,” Farto told reporter Mike Powers in a 1966 Miami Herald article.