March 2026 Employees of the Month: Landside workers display courage under fire to extinguish car in flames

Last month, Senior Officer Miguel Pino and Tow Truck Driver Paul Vreones, both with Miami International Airport’s Landside Division, displayed outstanding valor in their efforts to extinguish a car on fire at the airport’s arrival level curbside area.

When Miguel and Paul saw the nearby vehicle engulfed in flames and plumes of smoke filling the air, they each sprang into action, running to find fire extinguishers and put out the flames. Once they realized the extinguishers were not enough, they quickly established a safe perimeter to keep passengers and employees out of harm’s way while Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and emergency personnel arrived at the scene. Fortunately, the incident did not cause any injuries and only resulted in a temporary traffic delay, thanks to Miguel, Paul, and other Landside Division team members who diverted traffic and guided passengers to alternate routes.

Because Miguel and Paul’s quick thinking, courage, and “I AM MIA” spirit, they were named MIA’s March 2026 Employees of the Month.