North Collier Fire Rescue District

09/04/2026

North Collier Ocean Rescue Tower 29 Dedication Ceremony

09/03/2026

🚨 THEY’RE HERE! 🌊🛟

Our North Collier Fire Ocean Rescue lifeguards officially have some new seats on Vanderbilt Beach!

The new lifeguard chairs were built by an Eagle Scout candidate from Scouts of America Troop 2001, helping bring our vision for expanded lifeguard coverage on Vanderbilt Beach to life.

And tomorrow, we make it official! 🎉

Join us for the dedication of the new Ocean Rescue lifeguard tower and chairs as we celebrate this exciting step forward for beach safety in our District.

We can’t wait to show you more! 🌊☀️

09/03/2026

09/02/2026

“But the water in Naples is always so calm… why do we need lifeguards?” 🌊
It’s a comment we hear — but this behind-the-scenes footage tells a different story.
While Gulf Coast News reporter Sarah Mankowitz was out with our Ocean Rescue Program filming a recent story, our lifeguards demonstrated what a rescue can look like in real conditions at Vanderbilt Beach.
And those conditions were anything but calm.
As one of our lifeguards entered the surf to demonstrate the rescue, you can see waves breaking over him and the water actively trying to pull him farther out. As a trained professional, he knows how to navigate those conditions — but it’s a powerful example of just how quickly the Gulf can look and feel very different from the calm Naples water many of us are used to seeing.
Swipe ➡️ and you’ll see part of how we prepare for it.
Our Ocean Rescue lifeguards train against a rip current simulator, allowing them to practice swimming and working against a strong current in a controlled environment before putting those skills to work on the beach.
Because lifeguards don’t train only for the calm days. They train for the conditions you hope you never find yourself caught in.
Thank you to Sarah and Gulf Coast News for getting in the water with our team and helping give our community a closer look at what goes into keeping Vanderbilt Beach safe. 🌊🚩
🎥 Want to see more? Check out Sarah’s full Gulf Coast News story for an inside look at our Ocean Rescue Program and the work our lifeguards are doing on Vanderbilt Beach.
Watch Sarah’s full Gulf Coast News story here: https://bit.ly/464apCg ⁠

08/31/2026

🛑 STOP SCROLLING — generator safety can prevent serious burns, fires and carbon monoxide poisoning.

Generator safety isn’t only something to think about during a storm or power outage. Generators are used every day on construction sites, job sites and for all kinds of work — and experience with the equipment doesn’t eliminate the risk.

North Collier Fire Rescue recently responded to an incident that resulted in a trauma alert for severe burns involving a person who regularly used a generator for work. It’s a powerful reminder that when something becomes part of our everyday routine, it can be easy to become comfortable with it — but the same safety precautions still need to be followed every single time.

Lt. Armando Negrin with our Life Safety & Fire Prevention Division shares three reminders:

⚠️ Follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Know your equipment and always operate it as directed.

🏠 Never operate a generator in an enclosed or partially enclosed space — including a garage with the door open. Keep it at least 20 feet from your home or structure, with the exhaust pointed away from doors, windows and other openings.

⛽ Never refuel a generator while it’s running or still hot. Shut it off and give it time to cool before adding fuel. Gasoline spilled onto a hot engine or exhaust system can ignite, causing a fire and severe burns.

Whether it’s your first time using a generator or you use one every day for work, don’t let familiarity replace safety.

Take the extra few minutes. Follow the precautions. Every time.

08/30/2026

08/27/2026

“We are all ready to go October 1st.” — Deputy Fire Chief Mike Jimenez

During his Chief’s Report at the August 27 meeting of the North Collier Board of Fire Commissioners, Deputy Fire Chief Mike Jimenez provided an update on a major change coming to North Collier Fire Rescue.

Beginning October 1, North Collier Fire Rescue will transition to a 24/72 shift schedule — becoming the first fire department in Southwest Florida to make the move.

For decades, the traditional 24-hours-on, 48-hours-off schedule has been common throughout the fire service. But as our understanding of firefighter health and wellness continues to evolve, research has increasingly examined the effects of extended workweeks, interrupted sleep and insufficient recovery time on firefighters.

Research has associated chronic sleep disruption and extended firefighter workweeks with increased risks to physical and mental health, including cardiovascular and metabolic conditions, burnout, injuries and impacts on job performance. A 24/72 schedule provides three days of recovery between 24-hour shifts, offering greater opportunity for restorative sleep, physical and mental recovery, and time with family.

The transition also supports our continued compliance with Florida House Bill 929 (2025), which strengthened the state's focus on firefighter health and safety and directed the Division of State Fire Marshal to establish measures aimed at reducing firefighter fatalities, addressing occupational hazards and implementing mental health best practices.

Moving to 24/72 is another step in our commitment to protecting the long-term health and wellness of the men and women who protect our community — giving our firefighters greater opportunity to rest, recover and return ready to serve when our residents need them most.

08/25/2026

🏆 Forget the Lombardi Trophy… free wings for a YEAR are on the line. ✊✋✌️🍗

Join us this Thursday, August 27 at 6 p.m. for the Rock, Paper, Scissors Tournament at Ho***rs of Naples, all benefiting the Collier County 100 Club!

📍 Ho***rs of Naples
3625 Gateway Lane

Come out, cheer on the competition, support a great cause and see who has what it takes to become the ultimate Rock, Paper, Scissors champion — and walk away with a year’s worth of wings.

Rock. Paper. Scissors. Wings. Seems like pretty high stakes to us. 👀🔥

08/25/2026

Regional preparedness starts with having the capability and sharing it.

We’re proud to see our regional partners highlighting this important propane emergency training

The training featured was provided by North Collier Fire’s Region 6C Hazardous Materials Team, which brought our specialized personnel and propane-flaring equipment to Greater Naples Fire Rescue for this hands-on training that included the Naples Fire-Rescue Department and Collier County EMS

As the Region 6C Hazardous Materials Team, North Collier Fire Rescue maintains specialized capabilities and equipment for incidents requiring resources beyond a traditional fire response. That includes the only fire department propane-flaring capability in Collier County, allowing our certified HazMat Technicians to safely manage and mitigate certain propane emergencies.

Having specialized equipment, however, is only part of preparedness. Just as important is bringing that capability to our partner agencies, sharing the knowledge behind it, and training together before the emergency happens.

NCFR recently received grant funding through the State of Florida and FEMA for a new Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometer, technology that will allow our certified HazMat Technicians to rapidly analyze unknown solids and liquids that may include hazardous materials, explosives, narcotics and chemical warfare agents.

The timing is especially meaningful as our nation approaches the 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001. In the years following 9/11, significant investments were made through homeland security and domestic preparedness programs to strengthen specialized response capabilities at the local and regional level.

North Collier Fire Rescue has been fortunate to receive many of those grants over the years, helping us build, equip and maintain the specialized capabilities carried by Special Operations Heavy Rescue 48 and specials response units. Those investments do more than provide equipment they help ensure that highly specialized resources are maintained, ready and available when communities throughout our region need them.

That is what regional capability is about.

We are proud to serve as the Region 6C HazMat Team, proud to bring these capabilities to our partner agencies, and proud that these resources help protect communities throughout Collier County and beyond.

We train together because we respond together.