After eight fatal drownings so far this year in Collier County , North Collier Fire Rescue is training 50 of its firefighters to also serve as lifeguards.
The department is cross-training firefighter EMTs and paramedics to work poolside during the county’s busy summer months. They'll help staff the waterparks at North Collier Regional and Corkscrew Regional parks, where lifeguard shortages have become a growing issue, according to District staff.
“The pools were struggling to find lifeguards. We've got a cadre of very well-trained firefighter paramedics, EMTs — rescue is what they do for a living,” said Jorge Aguilera, the deputy chief of North Collier Fire.
Firefighters volunteered for the additional responsibility and will be paid for the extra hours. They’re learning basic rescue drills, lifeguard tools, and teamwork skills — building on their existing emergency medical knowledge before the parks open seven-days-a-week for the summertime.
“This kind of puts the boots on the ground — puts the flippers, I guess you say, in the water. It really kind of puts us into the rescue business in drowning prevention," said Aguilera.
The North Collier Fire Rescue District is also in talks with Collier County staff, working on a long-term agreement to assist in beach lifeguarding at patches of coastline that fall into the district's boundaries. Staff tells Gulf Coast News they hope a formal agreement is possibly in place by October.
“There’s no protected beaches south of Sarasota, and yet we continuously are ranked one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. This is just an expansion of the rescue services we provide right now," said Aguilera.
Over the course of numerous training sessions, dozens of firefighters in the nearly 300-person department volunteered to help.
“With my experience doing it, it was a no-brainer to step up to the plate and help out the county. You have to have a love and a passion for helping people,” said Aaron Riley, one of many training Tuesday.
The department plans to have all 50 firefighter-lifeguards certified and available to support the summer’s seven-day-a-week pool schedule starting this Memorial Day, and a beach plan in place to launch next year.