Collier County’s First Ocean Rescue Tower

>> AND CONSTRUCTION CONTINUES IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA AND THIS TIME WITH THE FIRST PERMANENT LIFEGUARD WATCHTOWER ON A COLLIER COUNTY BEAT AS WGCUS KATE CRONIN REPORTS THE IDEA TO BUILD THE RESCUE TOWERS STARTED WITH A MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT WORKING ON HIS EAGLE SCOUT PROJECT >> LAST PLACE YOU'D NORMALLY EXPECT TO FIND A FIREFIGHTER IS AT THE OCEAN. BUT TODAY, THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO FIND THIS GROUP. NORTH COLLIER, FIRE CONTROL AND RESCUE COMMISSIONER CHRIS LOMBARDO SAYS IT'S AN EXCITING DAY IS STATION EVER. 29 UNVEILS THE FIRST OCEAN RESCUE TOWER ON VANDERBILT BEACH IN NAPLES. >> AND SO WE'RE ABOUT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS BEACH IS SAFE BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT ANOTHER DROWNING. AND SO WE'RE HERE TODAY TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE WHO COME TO NAPLES WHO COME TO NORTH COLLIER FEEL SAFE AND RECOGNIZE WHERE THEIR DATA WE HAVE THEIR BACK. THE MOST AMAZING PART, MAYBE THE CONSTRUCTION IN 8TH GRADER CHRISTIAN WOODWARD CAME UP WITH THE IDEA FOR THE TOWERS. >> IRIS ELBOW SIDE ALL AROUND THE STATE AND A LOT OF THE BEACHES THAT I GO TO. THEY HAVE LIFEGUARDS STATION AND I WASN'T I WAS WONDERING WHY WE DON'T HAVE ANY. SO THAT IS PRETTY GOOD IDEA FOR MY EAGLE SCOUT PROJECT. >> WITH OVERSIGHT FROM BARDO CHRISTIAN CRAFTED THE LIFEGUARD STANDS THAT WORK IN TANDEM WITH NORTH COLLIER FIRE IS LIFEGUARD TOWER. >> THERE'S $10,000 OF MATERIALS AND EACH ONE OF THESE LIFEGUARDS AND THAT HE BUILT HE MADE HE MANAGED TO RAISE DONATIONS OR GET ARGUED MATERIALS DONATED. HE SPENT HIS ENTIRE SUMMER WITH A CREW OF BOYS AND SOME ADULTS BUILDING. WHEN YOU SEE HERE ON THE BEACH TODAY, WHICH ARE ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE. ACCORDING TO THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, FLORIDA RANKS 5TH IN THE NATION IN DROWNING DEATHS TOTALING OVER 450 FATALITIES IN 2024. >> NORTH COLLIER, FIRE PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER HAD THE MERCER CO BLIX EXPLAINED WHY OCEAN RESCUE TOWERS LIKE THIS ONE MAY HELP CHANGE THOSE NUMBERS GIVING LIFEGUARDS A BETTER VIEW OF THE SURF TO QUICKLY SPOT SWIMMERS IN DISTRESS OR WATER HAZARDS. >> THE TRAINING AND READINESS OF A LIFEGUARD CAN CHANGE A FAMILY'S FUTURE THAT WORK MATTERS HERE IN NAPLES AND AROUND THE WORLD. >> NICOLE COOKE, KOSKI, VANDERBILT BEACH GOER AND ASPIRING PADDLE BOARDER HAD THE CHANCE TO TOUR THE TOWER. >> YES, THAT'S THE REASON FOR COMING TO THIS PART OF THE BEACHES BECAUSE THERE ARE LIKE STATIONS. SO FROM THEN YOU'VE HAD A BOARDING AND JUST FEEL A LITTLE BIT SAFER BEING WITH THOSE LIFEGUARDS. >> IT TOOK CHRISTIAN OVER A YEAR OF WORK, INCLUDING SPENDING HIS SUMMER BUILDING UNDER THE BEATING SUN. WHEN MOST WOULD BE RELAXING WITH AN BUT HE SAYS HIS GOAL OF KEEPING SWIMMERS SAFER MAKES IT ALL WORTH IT. >> ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE LEARNED THROUGH THIS EFFORT IS A YOUNG PEOPLE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE WHEN ADULTS ENCOURAGE US AND GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE. >> A WGCU NEWS WITH VIDEOGRAPHY AMANDA INSCORE WHITTAMORE I'M KATE CRONIN.