CCSO Conducts Helicopter Drill by Marco River Bridge

If you were wondering why a helicopter and a large inflatable boat with a flashing blue light and a pair of powerful outboards were dropping divers into Marco River just east of the Marco River Bridge late Friday morning, July 24, it was only a drill by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO). 

“Yes, this was a training exercise,” Michelle Batten, of the media relations bureau for the CCSO, confirmed for the Coastal Breeze News. 

The CCSO’s Aviation and Marine Bureaus trained alongside North Collier Fire Rescue during hoisting and water rescue exercises. According to the CCSO, “Opportunities like these strengthen coordination between agencies and help ensure we’re ready to respond whenever and wherever we’re needed.”