Inspecting and protecting

“Our goal is to educate Miami-Dade County businesses, contractors and residents to achieve compliance,” said Felissa Jacquet Honore, a Pollution Control Inspector 2 with the Storage Tank Inspection Division at the Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources (RER).

Felissa began her career with RER in November 2019 as a Pollution Inspector 1 with the Hazardous Waste program after graduating from Florida International University with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. She was promoted to her current role in 2020. 

“I had no idea we had a division dedicated to storage tanks," said Honore. 

The Storage Tank Inspection Division conducts inspections to ensure fuel storage facilities comply with requirements designed to prevent discharges. The ultimate goal is to protect clean water for Miami-Dade County residents. This is no easy feat. Storage tanks range in size from smaller 110-gallon tanks used for generators to much larger tanks exceeding 10,000 gallons, which fuel cars, vessels and military planes and helicopters.

Felissa recalls some of her most memorable inspections at locations like the United States Coast Guard and Fisher Island.

Excelling in this role requires expertise, knowledge and patience, qualities Honore consistently demonstrates. A recent interaction with a local business trying to resolve a long-standing tank violation highlights her professionalism and dedication.

The business shared the following in a recent email:

“I would like to take a moment to recognize the outstanding support and professionalism that Ms. Felissa Jacquet Honore has provided. After several of our team members were let go, I found myself stepping into the middle of this project with limited experience in the matter. During this time, I called Ms. Felissa numerous times, often repeating questions I had already asked. Despite this, she was incredibly patient, never once made me feel like a burden, and always responded promptly to my emails and calls. Her willingness to repeat information and guide me through the process was invaluable. Thanks to her leadership and expertise, we were able to resolve a long-standing violation.”

Honore attributes her approach to the teamwork and support within the Storage Tank Inspection Division, a recent recipient of the DERM Excellence in Teamwork Award. She spent about a year and a half in training and fondly recalls the patience and guidance of her supervisors and colleagues. This experience shaped her “one step at a time” approach when working with the public. 

“I like to educate violators by clarifying and simplifying the process to ensure they comply and stay in compliance,” she explained.

When not conducting inspections or assisting the public in correcting violations, Honore enjoys attending church services, reading the Bible, playing the piano, and cooking her favorite meal: a ribeye steak with chimichurri and Haitian rice.