When you head to a North Naples beach this summer, a lifeguard sitting up on a lifeguard stand scanning the horizon may take you by surprise.
It’s a new program by North Collier Fire Control & Rescue District. The agency forged an agreement with county leaders to launch a beach lifeguard program.
The agreement makes North Collier Fire the first fire-rescue agency in the region to manage a county lifeguard program, where certified lifeguards also offer emergency medical response care.
Which beaches will have lifeguards?
The first lifeguards with the new North Collier Fire Ocean Rescue will work at pools at Big Corkscrew Regional Park and at North Collier Regional Park’s Sun-N-Fun Lagoon. Lifeguards stations will launch this summer at select beaches.
Drowning is the number one cause of death among children aged 1 to 4 in Collier, and the second leading cause of death among children aged 5 to 14, according to Water Smart Collier and the state Department of Health.
Since 2010, there have been 59 child drownings in Collier.
How many beaches have lifeguards?
Thirty coastal counties offer some measure of beach monitoring but that does not necessarily mean lifeguards, which is a function of local governments, according to the state Department of Health.
The state DOH monitors beach water quality but does not license or certify lifeguard programs.
North Collier Fire officials unveiled plans last May to help the county with a shortage of lifeguards and to expand beyond helping with pool lifeguards by adding coverage at select beaches.
Many coastal communities have lifeguards at beaches provided by local governments in concert with their municipal fire districts, Jorge Aguilera, deputy chief of North Collier fire said last spring.
Sarasota County has lifeguards at some beaches but south of Sarasota that is not the case, including in Lee County, he said. Many coastal counties on the state’s east coast have lifeguards on beaches, he said.
North Collier Fire spokeswoman Heather Mazurkiewicz said when the Ocean Rescue Division officially launches, lifeguards will be positioned at beaches that fall within the geographic boundaries of the North Collier fire district.
“The specific station locations are still being finalized as we review operational data and continue working collaboratively with our partners at the county and state levels,” she said.
“Our primary goal for location determination is to ensure that locations are chosen based on need, usage patterns, and overall public safety impact,” she said.
At present, the fire district has 93 certified lifeguards and 26 part-time lifeguards.
That level of staffing enables immediate coverage and supports coordinated beach operations.
“The Ocean Rescue program is designed to add a dedicated prevention and rescue presence directly on the beach,” she said. “The goal is to provide lifeguard coverage seven days a week during peak-use periods. Specific operating hours are still being finalized as the program develops.”
The agreement with the county, approved in February, was a big step, Fire Chief Eloy Ricardo said.
“This is not a small operational adjustment. This is a bold evolution of public safety in Collier County,” he said.
“In a coastal community like ours, water safety must be embedded in our emergency response framework,” he said. “By adding lifeguard services to the fire-rescue model, we are accelerating response capabilities, elevating prevention efforts, and building a system that is proactive, coordinated, and designed to save lives.”
Liz Freeman is a health care reporter. Reach her by emailing lfreeman@naplesnews.com
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This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Lifeguards coming to North Naples beaches this summer
Reporting by Liz Freeman, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News / Naples Daily News
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