Edward Croker, a retired Pittsburg, PA Fire Chief, was appointed as the first Fire Chief of what was then known as the San Carlos Park Volunteer Fire Department.  He served the citizens of San Carlos Park from 1964 to September 10, 1971 when he died in the line of duty.  A number of volunteer chiefs succeeded Chief Croker including: Steve Boros (1971-1972), Joe LaPorta (1972-1977), Dick Alt (1977-1978), and William Alument (1978-1979).

The 1960’s wielded an Emergency Medical Service that was far from what we know it to be today.  At this time the only ambulance service in Lee County was run on a volunteer basis by a local funeral home. Ambulance response times could often be as long as an hour. The citizens of San Carlos Park felt strongly that the level of emergency care could be improved with the addition of an ambulance at the fire station. This vision became a realization when a funeral director in Fort Myers donated an old hearse which had been converted to an ambulance to the San Carlos Park Volunteer Fire Department.  This ambulance was used on countless calls and saved a of multitude lives.  At this time, unbeknownst to the department and citizens, San Carlos Park Volunteer Fire Department was twenty years ahead of its time, when Emergency Medical Technicians would become a staple in Lee County Fire Districts.

Our first fire truck was donated by the Forestry Service but lacked a water tank. Mr. Jules Freeman, the developer of San Carlos Park and a supporter of the fire department, acquired a water tank from Jacksonville, Florida. The water tank was mounted and the department's first fire truck was fondly named “Big Bertha”.

For the betterment of the community, the Freeman family also donated the land for the fire station on Sanibel Blvd. The fire station, which still services our community, was built in 1964 and equipped with a 1942 American LaFrance Pumper purchased for $4,000 from the New York City Fire Department. The apparatus was equipped with one of the first Jaws-of-Life rescue tools in the area.

While the 1970’s began with the loss of SCPVFD’s Chief, it also began with a number of firsts for the department. After Chief Croker’s death, the 1^st Resolution to be given to any firefighter was presented by the Lee County Commissioners and displayed in the firehouse.  Moreover, service and fire protection beyond our community officially began when mutual aid agreements were written with Harlem Heights, Iona McGregor, South Trail, Fort Myers Beach and Estero.

More efficient service also became a reality in September of 1971, despite the area lacking “911”, when an emergency phone service was installed.  This service allowed citizens in need to call an emergency number which activated a siren outside the station alerting volunteer firefighters to respond. 

The San Carlos Park community, much like today, was very supportive of the San Carlos Park Volunteer Fire Department.  The citizen’s possessed a deep sense of integrity, pride and appreciation for the volunteer fire and EMS services. The community showed its support through rummage sales, chicken dinners, fish fry’s, cake sales, bingo games, and turkey shoots.  This outpouring of appreciation funded the volunteer fire department and it’s Ladies Auxiliary until 1976, allowing fire protection tool and apparatus purchases such as an American LaFrance Pumper in 1973.  The volunteer department also depended highly on support from area companies like the Amer International Land Company which gifted a land deed to the department for a half lot addition to Fire Station 1. 

In 1976, the 24 square mile community of San Carlos Park recognized a need for a more secure and reliable funding source for Emergency Services.  Citizens showed their support for the fire department and voted to become a Special Taxing District, or what is now known as San Carlos Park Fire Protection and Rescue Service District. The first meeting of the San Carlos Park Fire Control Commission was held Saturday November 6^th, 1976.  Commissioners included:  Robert Daugherty, Rosemary Poma, Wayne Proudlove, Leon Steele, and Thomas Wand.  As our citizens and in turn, our new board, became increasingly more safety minded the District adopted and voted to enforce the Southern Prevention Code in November of 1976.

With the support of the citizens to become a Special Taxing District, the District was able to hire its first part time paid Fire Chief, Tom Zepp and his successor, Chief Karl Drews who served the District as Chief from April, 30^th 1979 until his death in the line of duty on April 19^th,1990.

The late 1970’s brought great improvements to the organization, level of service and the safety of firefighters at San Carlos Park Fire Protection and Rescue Service District.  On March 10^th 1977, $1.00 was agreed upon by board and volunteer firefighters as reimbursement for responding to a fire/rescue call. 

While funding increased as a direct result of the qualification as a Special Taxing District, fund raisers were still held by community members and volunteer firefighters. Such fundraisers allotted the monies necessary to purchase the District’s first air packs in 1978, which greatly increased the level of safety for firefighters.

In January of 1978- an “Officer of the Day” schedule was implemented, in which a line officer or qualified firefighter is in the District and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. A Jaco fire engine was also purchased with ad valorem funds and donations. These implementations along with the start of onsite commercial building inspections, building plan examination, and commercial pre-fire planning in June of 1978 significantly increased the level of service provided to the citizens of San Carlos Park.  

Fire prevention went a step further in July of 1978 when firefighters were asked to take charge of instituting an active Fire Prevention Education Program. This program included civic presentations, home fire inspections, and children’s programs.  While there was a great emphasis on education during Fire Prevention Week, the program was consistently a year round effort.

Improved apparatus and equipment such as the Jaws-of-Life purchased on May 8^th, 1979 and consequently used effectively during a rescue that same week, allotted the District the opportunity to receive a Class 9 ISO rating on July 2^nd, 1979.  The District looked to continue to improve this rating over the years by the passing of resolutions to purchase additional apparatus similar to the (2) Pierce Fire Engines voted upon in July of 1981.

With the tremendous growth in population, new construction in the area, and a constant and sustained desire to improve service, SCPFD recognized the need to hire firefighters. In 1983, the first six paid firefighters were hired, and in 1985, the District hired its first part-time Fire Inspector, Ted Nixon. Moreover, in June of 1984, Lee County adopted the 1981 NFPA 101 Life Safety Code.

A change in Commissioners came on November 5^th,1985.  While many commissioners had been elected before, a particular Commissioner, Mary Lou Garofalo began her more than 20 year tenure as a member of the San Carlos Park Fire District family in 1985.  Also elected to the board at this time were: Jack Aliotta, Walter Heller, Donald Mckee, and Donald Headman

July 5^th, 1986, Chief Drews proudly opened Fire Station #2 located on Island Park Road. A second fire station was needed for this fast growing area. 

On April 9^th, 1987, 9-1-1 started being utilized in the area. The use of this emergency service number served to greatly improve the level of care provided and helped with the accuracy of where calls originated from.

As we still do today, in 1988, San Carlos Park Fire District reached out to other parts of the country when disaster struck.  Chief Karl Drews was sent to work in the Yosemite National Park, fighting fire and working as an Emergency Medical Technician.

A milestone was hit in 1989, as the District celebrated it’s 25 year anniversary with the Board of Commissioners, family, friends, volunteer firefighter association, and the ladies auxiliary. 

The 1990’s began with the loss of the District’s first paid full time Fire Chief, Karl Drews. After his untimely death in 1990, Chief Paul Jasper served the District from 1990 until 1992.

In February of 1992, the Board of Fire Commissioners appointed Natale J. Ippolito as Acting Fire Chief of the San Carlos Park Fire Protection and Rescue Service District. Chief Ippolito is originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and began his service to the San Carlos Park community as a volunteer. His role of Chief of San Carlos Park Fire District became official as of April 1992.  He was joined in command by Assistant Chief Raymond Delo at this time.

Station 1, in the heart of San Carlos Park, went through total reconstruction and reopened on June 7^th, 1993.  Both full time firefighters and volunteers contributed to the reconstruction of the station which saved the district a considerable sum of money.  The summer of 1993 also saw the Ladies Auxiliary dissolve through a mutual decision and the welcoming of Lee County EMS as a permanent ambulance. This unit was housed at the newly reconstructed Station 1.

The following year, the District suffered the loss of Volunteer Firefighter Mike Louzao.  Despite this great loss, a number of strides were made during 1994. The District improved the safety of our firefighters by instituting the passport system to document personnel on calls, greatly improved its ISO rating on April 11 by achieving a status of 4, received the “Home Town Hero” award from Three Oaks Elementary, annexed 28 square miles, and celebrated its 30^th year of service on October 16^th.

 The mid to late 1990’s brought about a great need for assistance across the state. SCPFD reached out as it had many times in previous years with assistance during Hurricane Opal in 1995, a more than 5,000 acre brushfire in Sarasota County in 1997, administrative assistance to our neighboring fire district Estero Fire Rescue in 1997, and participation as part of the Region 6 Disaster Response Team during the 1998 Northern Florida Brushfires.  The District also reached out beyond our state and even country with assistance to Honduras in their recovery from Hurricane Mitch in 1999.  

In addition to providing mutual aid, the District also made huge strides in the provision of service and exemplary medical care for our residents.   In 1995, the District purchased 11.3 acres on Alico Road and 3.23 acres in 1996 which was later used to build Station 3.  In December of 1996 the District hired its first Medical Director and in April of 1997 we received our Certificate of Need which enabled us to provide Advanced Life Support service to our community.

The start of the millennium provided updates to equipment and public information. In 2000, the staff remodeled station 2, received the highest score attainable during our 1^st State ALS inspection and launched the District’s first website.

In 2003 San Carlos Park Fire District opened its third fire station east of Interstate 75 on Ben Hill Griffin Parkway, which services the eastern portion of the District as well as the growing commercial properties and Florida Gulf Coast University. This station also provides offices for administrative staff and support services.

In 2004 SCPFD and Region 6’s Urban Search and Rescue team provided response to one of Southwest Florida’s most unforgettable hurricanes, Hurricane Charley, and also for Hurricane Frances. Late in the year the District added new apparatus by way of 2 new fire trucks, became the recipient of the 2003 Life Safety Achievement Award, hired its first Fire Marshal, and in November marked a noteworthy moment when the District moved from a Class 4 to a Class 3 ISO rating. 

In 2005, Hurricane Wilma brought response from our staff locally and Hurricane Katrina called on SCPFD Command Staff to respond, as Southwest Florida’s acclaimed USAR team stayed back to be the first line of defense in any storms or hurricanes which threatened the state of Florida.

Over the course of our 43 year history, San Carlos Park Fire District has grown with the community we take pride in serving each and every day. The District has been a visionary in emergency services, lost members of its family in the line of duty, assisted neighboring districts in times of turmoil, overcome adversity, and most importantly maintained a strong commitment to our vision, “To be recognized within and beyond our community as a Fire Department of Excellence”.

 Today, as a whole, San Carlos Park Fire Protection & Rescue Service District now operates out of 3 fire stations, covers 52 square miles, and provides fire prevention, fire suppression and emergency medical services to over 30,000 fulltime residents and countless others who work in and visit our great community daily. To date, the District employs 68 individuals dedicated to providing an exemplary level of service and community involvement to the residents within the San Carlos Park Fire District.