Collier County Emergency Readiness Summit

The inaugural Collier County Emergency Readiness Summit took place on Saturday, September 14, at the South Collier Regional Library in East Naples. Over 200 people were in attendance to learn more about what they can do to stay safe before, during, and after major events, especially hurricanes.  

Zach Maloch, the morning meteorologist at Wink News who served as the event Emcee, expressed his gratitude for the support and turnout, which is also a part ofAmeriCorps September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance event. Reflecting on Patriot Day's significance, he highlighted the event's dual purpose of honoring the lives lost on September 11, 200, emphasizing the importance of preparedness.  

Maloch also thanked numerous community partners for organizing the summit and providing valuable emergency preparedness information. The partners included Collier County government, AmeriCorps, Collier County Community and Human Services Division, AmeriCorps Seniors, Area Agency on Aging of Southwest Florida, Baker Senior Center in Naples, Collier County Emergency Management, Collier County Public Library, Collier Community Foundation, Collier Resource Center, Collier County Sheriff's Office, Disaster Ready Collier County, Marco Island Police Department, NCH Healthcare System, North Collier Fire and Rescue, Razor Golf Cars, and Priority Marketing.  

Maloch emphasized the importance of attendees applying the knowledge gained to their communities, reinforcing the need to stay informed and ready for emergencies, and then introduced Collier County District 1 Commissioner Rick LoCastro. 

LoCastro began his presentation by emphasizing the importance of sharing emergency preparedness knowledge, urging attendees to make what they learn “contagious” in their communities. He stressed the significance of staying informed through systems like Alert Collier, explaining that timely updates are crucial for emergency situations. LoCastro honored military and first responders, noting, “Service, sacrifice, courage, patriotism… Regardless of the uniform, there’s an American flag on all of our sleeves.” He concluded by introducing Serge Ruggio, a distinguished 9/11 hero, highlighting Ruggio’s extensive service with the New York City Police Department and his crucial role in the formation of Homeland Security. 

Ruggio shared his profound experiences and career journey leading up to and following the September 11 attacks. Originally joining the police force to tackle crime in his native NYC, Ruggio was driven by the high crime rates of the 80s and 90s. “I joined to fight crime,” he said. “I grew up there, and I knew the streets.” His early career involved various roles, including work with the street crime unit and robbery squad. 

On 9/11, Ruggio described the chaotic shift from his routine to the unprecedented crisis. “I didn’t know the attack had happened,” he recalled, describing his surprise as he neared Manhattan. Once informed, he was directed to help establish a staging area at the South Tower. He emphasized the enormity of the situation, noting, “The 102 minutes that it took to change this country, to change our preparedness.” 

Ruggio’s account of the day underscored the severe challenges and confusion faced. He highlighted the breakdown in communications, stating, “Our communications were shut down. Our ability to reach each other was shut down.” He also vividly described the physical strain, likening the experience of navigating through dense smoke to being “sandblasted” due to the damaging particles. 

In the aftermath, Ruggio continued to serve with a federal task force, initially wanting to remain in his previous role. “From that day on, I raised my right hand again, took that oath again, and became contracted out to the federal government,” he said. His work involved handling tips and investigating leads under extreme conditions, with misinformation posing a significant challenge. Reflecting on the ongoing struggle for recognition and care, Ruggio emphasized the need for national solidarity, stating, “If we could be the people we were on the morning of 9/12, this country wouldn’t be putting up with half of the crap that we have.” 

Following Ruggio’s poignant presentation of his life before, during, and after September 11, the summit attendees were divided and ushered into three separate breakout sessions. 

Session One: Risk Mitigation and Life Safety After an Emergency 

Heather Marzurkiewicz of North Collier Fire Control and Rescue District delivered a presentation on enhancing safety, focusing on practical measures residents can take. She began by explaining essential safety tips for preventing falls, stressing the importance of maintaining a clutter-free environment, such as ensuring there are no electrical cords on the floor. She also recommended using non-slip mats and handrails, sharing her personal safety routine: “I have installed motion sensor lights so that as I walk by, it lights up.” She also emphasized wearing safe footwear by making sure peoplewear low-heeled shoes with non-slip soles. 

Marzurkiewicz clarified the operational relationship between fire stations and EMS, noting that all the county fire rescue agencies work in partnership with Collier County EMS.She highlighted the importance of keeping smoke alarms functional and having accessible fire extinguishers. While addressing the specific needs of older adults, Marzurkiewicz stated, “Adults over the age of 65 carry twice the risk of being injured or dying in a fire,” and encouraged residents to inform firefighters about any pets inside their homes. “When we get there, tell us that you have a pet,” she said, reassuring that firefighters are equipped to help pets with oxygen masks. 

Marzurkiewicz provided practical tips to avoid cooking fires, the most common cause of house fires. She urged residents to stay attentive while cooking and to use potholders and oven mitts to prevent burns. “Cooking is the number one place where our house fires start in the kitchen,” she said. In case of a fire, especially a grease fire, Marzurkiewicz warned against using water, as it can worsen the situation. Her key point – Do NOT put water on the fire! 

Lastly, Marzurkiewicz discussed the importance of proactive safety measures and making sure residents really advocate for themselves.  

Session Two: How to Prepare for an Evacuation and What Shelters are Really Like 

Danny Fillmore, Mass Care Coordinator for Collier County Emergency Management, began by discussing his role and the challenges of living in a coastal community. “We have to deal with hurricanes, flooding, tornadoes, lightning.” Fillmore also outlined the region’s two main seasons - wet and dry - explaining, “When it’s not hurricane season, it’s dry season,” which leads to wildfires occurring from November through May. 

Fillmore stressed the importance of preparation for hurricanes, advising, “Hide from the wind, run from the water,” and emphasized the need for advanced warnings. He recommended residents use 311 for real-time information and praised Alert Collier for its notifications, saying, “Alert Collier is a fantastic service... You can get real-time notifications about things that are happening.” Addressing concerns about traffic accident notifications, Fillmore explained that Alert Collier only handles life-threatening situations. Sign-up is easy by visiting  www.CollierCountyFL.gov/AlertCollier. 

Due to the coastal location of many schools, Fillmore noted there is only a limited number of shelters that can open. It is to keep everybody away from possible storm surge.  

Before heading to a shelter, Fillmore advised securing homes and getting shutters up, emphasizing, "Get anything off our porches that could become a missile and fly through somebody else's window." He also recommended turning off power at the main breaker and removing perishable food to prevent unpleasant odors of rotten. 

Fillmore highlighted the importance of not leaving pets behind as pet-friendly shelters will be available. He added, "Make sure you let somebody know that you're leaving your home and where you're going," due to common communication issues during storms. 

When preparing to go to a shelter, Fillmore advised bringing personal items such as bedding because it isNOT provided at the general population shelters.He suggested bringing "comfort food like cookies and snacks" and mentioned improvements post-Hurricane Irma, including providing coffee at shelters. Fillmore described shelters as offering "very basic life-sustaining services only" with space allocations of "20 square feet" per person and noted that they lack privacy and showers. For those needing transportation to a shelter, he advised calling 311. 

Fillmore provided key details about special needs shelters during his presentation. Unlike general shelters, special needs shelters offer additional support, including cots and provisions for "small emergencies," but do not have extensive medical facilities.  

However, caregivers accompanying individuals to these shelters do not receive on-site accommodations. Fillmore stressed that special needs shelters are considered a "shelter of last resort" and emphasized the importance of pre-registration for better planning, stating, "We ask that you folks pre-register if you're going to go to the special needs shelter... for planning purposes, so we know how many to expect." Pre-registration can be done by visiting https://snr.flhealthresponse.com. 

Session Three: What To Do When You Call 911 and How 911 Works in an Emergency 

Collier County Sheriff’s Office Communications Manager Amy Tuff described the logistics of 911 dispatchers working during hurricanes, saying, “Even though there might be power outages or large-scale events... we’re still here at work.”  

CCSO Communications Supervisor Monica Guttenfelder detailed the county's vast size,explaining that Collier is the largest county landmass east of the Mississippi, and compared the impacts of Hurricanes Irma and Ian. “Irma was a wind-driven event... Ian hit us with storm surge and flooding.” 

They addressed challenges during hurricanes, such as power outages, and advised residents to prepare well in advance. They explained that during high winds, dispatchers cannot send units out until conditions improve. “Once winds reach 45 miles per hour, we are not able to send units out,” Guttenfelder said. 

Tuff highlighted the extensive training for dispatchers, including CPR and medical emergencies, and discussed ongoing projects like enhancing radio resiliency with multiple backup levels. She also covered active shooter and hostile event response training, noting, “It’s not just an active shooter; it could involve a chemical incident or other types of mass casualty events.” 

Regarding community training, Tuff advised that schools, churches, and other organizations have gone through active shooter response training and offered to connect organizations with training resources by visiting https://www.colliersheriff.org/how-do-i/get-a-ccso-presentation-demonstration-tour. 

Tuff assured that Collier County serves as a model for other counties, sharing practices at conferences and adopting new dispatch protocols. She also explained that overflow calls go to the City of Naples for dispatching as they operate on the same computer-aided dispatch program, 911 system, and radio system. 

On handling dropped 911 calls, Guttenfelder notedthat’s an unverified 911 and assured a deputy would be dispatched to the listed location to determine if there was an emergency. When it comes to 911 calls when emergency responders are unable to access insidethe property, she verified that responders would break down a door if necessary.  

Tuff concluded bydiscussing the critical role of Smart911 in enhancing emergency response by allowing residents to create a safety profile for their household, which is available to first responders during a 911 call. This freeservice enables emergency personnel to access essential information, such as medical conditions and special needs, before arriving on the scene, thereby improving response effectiveness. Tuff noted that while Smart911 profiles do not require annual updates, individuals will receive alerts to keep their information current. Visit www.Smart911.com to sign up for your free profile.  

In-Between Sessions 

Around noon, the crowd took a break from the sessions for lunch, where attendees watched as close to a dozen Collier County emergency responders/leaders were named recipients of the 2024 Community Champion Awards. Among the winners were Marco Island Police Department Marine Officer Josh Ferris and Marco Island Fire Department Captain Jeffrey Kutzke for their heroic efforts during Hurricane Ian. Ferris, who responded to calls from residents trapped by rising waters in Goodland, rescued 12 people using high-water vehicles, demonstrating remarkable bravery. Captain Kutzke and his team undertook four separate rescue missions, saving 50 people and their pets from the storm surge flooding experienced. The entire crew is honored in this nomination for their exceptional efforts.Their commendable actions highlight the critical role of first responders in managing the complex and varying challenges posed by severe weather events. 

Following the awards ceremony, a panel discussion featuring Collier County Emergency Operations Center Manager Dan Summers, United Way of Collier Vice President of Community Engagement Ashley Jones, and Collier Community Foundation Vice President of Community Engagement Lindsey Touchette provided insights on disaster preparedness and response. The discussion emphasized effective resource management and transparency, highlighting the importance of preparation, FEMA registration assistance, and efficient fund use. Touchette noted the transparency of the Collier Comes Together fund, while Jones stressed clear fund allocation and resource mobilization. Summers discussed emergency management's broad scope, including local, state, and federal coordination, and advocated for financial donations over physical goods. The panel also addressed fraud prevention and concluded with practical advice on evacuation and special needs services, encouraging continued engagement through Collierprepares.org. 

It's A Wrap 

Upon the conclusion of the summit around 2:00 PM, approximately 200 of the attendees who pre-registered in advance left with a complimentary emergency readiness bag. The bag included a NOAA Weather Radio, First Aid Kit, two inflatable life jackets, a window breaker/seatbelt cutter, water filtering straw, waterproof phone holder and a waterproof/fireproof document holder. 

During the summit, attendees were treated to a hot breakfast and boxed lunch by Two Guys Catering.  

Event coordinators repeatedly stated throughout the presentations that they hope to schedule another summit in the future and to staytuned by visiting Collierprepares.org. There is also a form on this site encouraging members of the community to sign up to volunteer for these future events.