Should Collier consider more fire agency consolidations?

There are many ways to compare one Florida county with other counties.

Collier in area is the second biggest of the 67 counties; in population the 18th biggest; in population density the 34th biggest (right in the middle).

Comparing Collier County and our five separate fire agencies (Greater Naples, Immokalee, North Collier, Marco Island, Naples) with the 33 counties with a higher population density than Collier County:

One fire agency for the entire county -- Duval, St. Lucie; two fire agencies for the county -- Clay, Escambia, Hernando, Indian River, Marion, Martin, St. Johns, Sumter; three fire agencies for the county -- Flagler, Charlotte, Citrus, Osceola; four fire agencies for the county -- Alachua, Hillsborough, Pasco, Sarasota; five fire agencies for the county - Seminole, Collier; six fire agencies for the county -- Miami-Dade.

Comparing Collier with our five separate fire agencies with the 33 counties with a lower population density than Collier County:

One fire agency for the entire county -- Baker, Columbia, Desoto, Gilchrist, Hardee, Lafayette, Madison, Taylor, Union, Wakulla, Washington; two fire agencies for the county -- Dixie, Jefferson, Nassau, Okeechobee, Putnam, Suwanee; three fire agencies for the county -- Levy, Liberty; four fire agencies for the county -- Calhoun, Jackson; five fire agencies for the county -- Franklin, Hendry, Walton, Collier; six fire agencies for the county -- Hamilton.

It would appear the time is very appropriate for the local fire agencies to continue the previously successful consolidation from the nine fire agencies in Collier County just five years ago to the present five agencies, thus saving the unneeded duplication of command staff and support staff. The reduction of the number of separate fire agencies would further make available more tax funds for additional personnel and additional equipment to respond to incidents.

In the 12 months from April 2022 to March 2023, there were 51,298 fire units dispatched on calls, of which approximately 84% were medical in nature, many of which required transport to a hospital. Another 1% were building fires, and the remaining 13% were non-building fires, so the nature of the needed fire agency responses has evolved.

The five Collier County fire agencies respond into each other's territory based on the "Closest, Available, Appropriate" concept and perform the same needed functions, requiring the same needed training. The Collier County Sheriff's Department has countywide responsibility, as does Collier County EMS, just to name a few all-county functions. Why is it better for the county taxpaying residents and businesses, and the fire agency employees, to have five separate fire agencies, with five separate firefighter/EMT compensation plans, with five separate fire agency management and administrative structures, with five separate governing fire commissioner functions, and five different taxing rates for fire agency services?

Prior to the fire agencies taking on additional responsibilities for transportation of patients, which could require additional fire vehicles and fire personnel, and duplicating the already all-county consolidated EMS department, would it not be better to consolidate the three independent agencies to two agencies, or even one agency, to better reduce current duplication and triplication of staffing and other functions? And even to consolidate further with the two city agencies? When that is accomplished, then further consolidation of fire and EMS should be accomplished. But I would suggest "first things first."

You may want to let your local fire commissioners and your local county commissioners know your thoughts on the pros and cons of the status quo, or any of the above alternatives.

Marvin L. Easton was an international consultant for IBM for 13 years in Asia (living in Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, China) and two years in Eastern Europe (living in Hungary, Poland and Romania) after working for IBM for 21 years in computer marketing and management jobs in the USA. He retired to Naples in 1997 and has previously been involved with efforts to consolidate the independent fire agencies in Collier County. He served on the boards of directors for the Greater Naples Leadership, the Port Royal Property Owners Association, the Forum Club, the Naples Council on World Affairs, and the Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce and served on the Chamber's Government Committee and is a founding member of the Collier Citizen's Council.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Should Collier consider more fire agency consolidations?