DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – An internal audit of the Daytona Beach Fire Department is raising serious questions about more than $500,000 in spending — and a city commissioner says what’s in the report is “extremely concerning.”
The city’s internal auditor launched the investigation into all city departments in the fall, after several employee whistleblowers began raising concerns. The fire department’s audit, covering spending from 2021 to 2025, was just completed — and News 6 obtained a copy of the findings ahead of the auditor’s scheduled Wednesday night presentation to the city commission.
The audit found more than $500,000 charged on purchasing cards — commonly known as P-cards — for vehicle repairs and fuel, which violates city rules. Auditors also identified 14 fire department employees with take-home cars and no mileage logs.
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Without those records, the auditor warned, “the city cannot determine whether these expenses are related to official business use or personal use.”
City Commissioner Stacy Cantu said she has heard directly from firefighters and the fire union president, who share her concerns.
“There’s no logs kept. That means... we were paying for their insurance, their gas, are we paying for that when they’re not working?” Cantu questioned.
The auditor also found more than $50,000 spent on food and drinks at local fast food restaurants by fire leadership, along with hundreds of purchases with missing receipts. Among the more unusual line items: 15 televisions, baby shower decorations, and a beer-can cooler.
The report also flags $50,000 in unexplained technology purchases, thousands of dollars spent on inconsistent uniforms, and more than 400 books unrelated to firefighting — as well as shoe purchases that caught Cantu’s attention.
“I don’t understand why shoes were purchased in there if the rank and file firemen who actually put out the fire — we do not pay for their boots,” Cantu said.
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Cantu says responsibility falls directly on the city manager, whom News 6 emailed but did not hear back from. The city manager did file a written response — legally required — to the auditor’s report. In it, he expressed support for the process, writing in part:
“The administration views this audit as part of an ongoing effort to continuously improve operations, enhance oversight, and ensure every dollar of public funds is used appropriately and effectively.”
News 6 also went to the fire department to seek comment from Fire Chief Dru Driscoll, but was told all inquiries were being referred to the city manager.
At least four of the 14 fire department take-home cars have since been returned. The city’s internal auditor told News 6 he hopes to complete his review of all city departments by the end of the year.
Separately, the state is conducting its own audit of the city, which is expected to be completed within the next few months.