Cape Coral mourns death of retired firefighter, department’s first female lieutenant

Cape Coral Fire Department is mourning the death of a retired Cape Coral firefighter Monday, who served 25 years in the city and also served her country.

According to the CCFD Facebook post, retired Lt. Michelle Clore died of an aggressive form of cancer over the weekend.

“Lt. Clore’s passing is deeply felt by her husband and daughter, her family, her foster children, whom she passionately cared for, her friends and her fellow brothers and sisters at the CCFD,” the department shared in its post.

For more than seven years, Lt. Clore and her husband fostered nearly 100 children.

“She was determined,” said Nadereh Salim, with Children’s Network of Southwest Florida. “She was very committed. She was passionate about taking care of kids. She had so much love to give.”

Clore was hired as CCFD’s second female firefighter in 1993 and became the department’s first female officer when she was promoted to lieutenant. She retired from CCFD in 2018. Clore’s lifetime of service was not limited to the City of Cape Coral. It included the nation during her time serving in the U.S. Marine Corps.

“She was a trailblazer for sure,” said Heather Mazurkiewicz, with Firefighters Cancer Support Network. “Twenty-five years ago, women in the fire service was not readily heard of.”

“I know she was proud of being a member of the first all-female crew that we were able to have here in CCFD,” Fire Chief Ryan Lamb said.

Studies show 1 in 3 firefighters will develop cancer in their lifetime. Under the Florida Firefighter Cancer Presumption law that was passed in 2019, Clore’s death is presumed work related.

CCFD says, once Clore’s death is recognized by the state, she will be memorialized at the state fire college in Ocala and the firefighter memorial in Tallahassee.

“It’s firefighters like Michelle and their family members are one of the reasons we fought so hard for so many years to get the cancer coverage in the state of Florida,” Mazurkiewicz said.

Chie Lamb says Clore left her mark not only with her department but with her entire community.

“I think she’ll be remembered for that big caring heart that she showed, again, with the individuals she worked with, on the calls here at the fire station and with the many people she worked with as a foster mom,” Lamb said.