Collier deputies, firefighters team up to keep you safe at the beach

Spring break is here and the beaches in Collier County are packed. Deputies say it makes it tougher to respond to emergencies, so they’re teaming up with firefighters for your safety on the sand and in the water.

Recently a swimmer was struck by a boat. To get to that swimmer quickly, first responders used a motorized paddleboard. It’s all a part of Collier County’s Beach Patrol. Crews are also out on ATVs protecting the shorelines.

North Collier firefighter Bret Jameyson works with Beach Patrol 44 and says, “Well over a million people a year were coming to the Vanderbilt Beach area and that’s when CCSO and the fire department realized they needed a better way to make sure this area was covered by emergency personnel.”

Now, they are working together with deputies to patrol and protect beach crowds.

It’s a presence that makes people feel at ease when they’re out on the beach. Someone they know they can go to when they have a problem.

“Having people nearby in the event of an emergency is always a good idea,” said vacationer Caroline Courtney. “Plus, having kids trust them, seeing them out and about, makes it even easier to respond in that sort of a situation”

The program in Collier County started two years ago. Deputies and firefighters also help if a child goes missing and assist our locals and visitors in retrieving lost items, finding their car and to answer any questions an individual might have.