Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District

Cardeo-Defibulator, E.K.G. Monitors, and Motorola Telemetry were added to the equipment in rescue units during January 1976. Only two other ambulances in Lee County were certified to carry and use this special equipment. In March 1976 the duties and responsibilities of the Department's two paramedics were studied, in respect to the possible adoption by Lee County Patient Care System, and in July malpractice insurance was purchased for all rescue personnel. With the insertion of these present-day standards, the Beach rescue units were categorized with some of the finest ambulance services in the country.

As the Fire Department was moving progressively into a professional arena, the firefighters' pulse was sympathetic with the union and a new alliance. On May 12, 1976 the Board was officially notified that the majority of the employees had organized into a group known as the Fort Myers Beach Professional Firefighters. This was the first time several of the Commissioners had any experience with a labor organization and the strain associated with union negotiations manifested itself. It would be nearly three (3) years before an agreement would be signed between the District and firefighters' union. During this time many unpleasant enactments transpired. There were law suits, picket lines and in February of 1979, the resignation of all the Fire Commissioners. Pandemonium was all John Q. Public could grasp from our local newspapers, but finally the Governor appointed a new Board and on April 10, 1979 a contract was signed by all parties and peace came to the Beach District once again.

The District on November 8, 1977, leased properly on San Carlos from John F. Franklin, Jr., with the agreement that Mr. Franklin would erect a building on Franklin Lumber Co. property, and the District would lease the property for three (3) years at $700.00 a month. The Commission also awarded a $800 contract to architect Stout to supervise the construction of the new sub-station Mr. Franklin was to construct. The new sub-station (station #2) was open and operating in mid April of 1978. This station was kept open until late 1979 when it was closed and all the equipment moved to the Estero Boulevard station. This status continued until 1983 when a new station #2 was built and opened at the north end of San Carlos Boulevard.

The District Enabling Act was amended in October 1980 to increase the Fire Board of Commissioners from three to five members. This amendment also modified the Board of Commissioners from an appointed to an elected body and regulated the method by which Commissioners were chosen in elections on odd numbered years.

The next revision to enabling legislation was in 1981, which authorized the District to operate and maintain an advanced life support ambulance. This enactment additionally provided that the millage be determined by the Fire Board and not the County Commissioners, which had been the custom in the past.