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Medical Director Benjamin Abo, DO, Paramedic, EMTT ,FAWM

Position: Medical Director
A person in a formal uniform stands in front of U.S. and Florida state flags, with a "Sanibel Fire Rescue District" emblem in the background.

Dr. Abo is an EMS and emergency physician and toxinologist currently practicing in Naples, Florida and is an assistant professor for Florida State University School of Medicine. He currently has a number of roles including Medical Director for Sanibel Fire Rescue, Gainesville Fire Rescue, Captiva Fire Rescue, Pine Island Fire Department, Lake County Fire Rescue’s Venom 2 Venomous Response Unit, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue’s Venom One and USAR Florida Task Force 1. He also serves as medical director and CMO for Rescue Company 1 and the Florida Helo-Aquatics Rescue Team. He has experienced EMS and emergency medicine around the globe with a number of philanthropic ventures, consulting, and serving as medical director and lead medical consultant for a variety of television and movie productions including Shark Week, National Geographic, Shark Attack Files, and his own show, Kings of Pain.  He continues to be extremely active in emergency and EMS After 25 years with research, education, speaking engagements, consulting, national and international committees as well as active field response. A recipient of NCEMSF’s EMS Provider of the Year for Heroism and Valor in addition to Touro University’s Inaugural Alumni Lamplighter Award and multiple citations for various rescues and disaster deployments. Furthermore, he served as the Co-Founder and Pilot External in the Carolina Wilderness EMS Externship where he is now an active instructor and honorary medical director of the Surfers Medical Association. Dr. Abo lives close to Sanibel with his dog, Otis, and thoroughly enjoys continuous training and learning alongside Sanibel paramedics and EMTs in all aspects of out of hospital care, especially water emergencies, marine envenomations, and lightning.