Evacuations underway due to brush fire near mm 110 off I-75Crime Stoppers seeks suspect in North Fort Myers theft
Evacuations underway due to brush fire near mm 110 off I-75 According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a brush fire is present at mile marker 110 on I-75 southbound in Collier County.
NORTH FORT MYERS Crime Stoppers seeks suspect in North Fort Myers theft Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers is asking for the public’s help identifying a person suspected of grand theft in North Fort Myers.
BONITA SPRINGS FWC: Manatee killed by head-on boat crash on Big Hickory Island The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is conducting a necropsy on a manatee that washed ashore on Big Hickory Island.
Junior Achievement of SWFL inducts 4 into Hall of Fame A who’s who of the local business community celebrated four regional leaders March 25 at Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida’s annual banquet honoring this year’s Business Hall of Fame inductees.
fort myers beach Fort Myers Beach to implement temporary emergency traffic measure to assist EMS response The Town of Fort Myers Beach and the FMB Fire District have implemented a temporary emergency measure due to response time concerns with first responders and traffic.
PORT CHARLOTTE Charlotte County woman out on bond arrested again for drug trafficking, possession The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a woman who allegedly violated her bond as she was caught trafficking and possessing several forms of drugs.
FORT MYERS Florida Southwestern State College to hold free Spring Concert series Florida Southwestern State College is set to hold a series of free concerts throughout April.
the weather authority Mostly sunny, warmer for your Wednesday afternoon plans The Weather Authority is tracking mostly sunny conditions, bringing warmer temperatures throughout this Wednesday.
Collier County teen injured in violent parking lot incident A teenager is fighting for his life after a violent confrontation in Collier County.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers recycling facilty catches fire; smoke visible for miles Thick smoke erupted from a Fort Myers recycling facility on Tuesday evening as flames tore through the building.
ROTONDA Rotonda residents worry as legal battle over bridge closure heats up Charlotte County is gearing up for a legal battle over the Rotonda Bridge, which has been closed since Hurricane Ian.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers’ Howard Sapp seeks to break GOP hold in district 19 race Howard Sapp has announced his candidacy to represent Southwest Florida in Washington, D.C. Sapp, a Democrat, aims to succeed Republican Congressman Byron Donalds, who is running for governor of Florida.
FORT MYERS Laser lockup: Teen arrested for pointing laser at LCSO aviation unit A Lee County teenager has been arrested for pointing a laser at an aircraft, a dangerous act that poses significant risks to aviation safety.
Southwest Florida Collier clinic lease fight leaves families fearing healthcare loss A legal battle is unfolding in Collier County as Lee Health Systems takes on Nicklaus Children’s Hospital over a lease dispute
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach FEMA probation could end sooner than expected Fort Myers Beach may soon see relief from high flood insurance bills. The town lost its FEMA flood insurance discount last fall and was placed on probation, putting homeowners at risk of higher costs.
Evacuations underway due to brush fire near mm 110 off I-75 According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a brush fire is present at mile marker 110 on I-75 southbound in Collier County.
NORTH FORT MYERS Crime Stoppers seeks suspect in North Fort Myers theft Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers is asking for the public’s help identifying a person suspected of grand theft in North Fort Myers.
BONITA SPRINGS FWC: Manatee killed by head-on boat crash on Big Hickory Island The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is conducting a necropsy on a manatee that washed ashore on Big Hickory Island.
Junior Achievement of SWFL inducts 4 into Hall of Fame A who’s who of the local business community celebrated four regional leaders March 25 at Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida’s annual banquet honoring this year’s Business Hall of Fame inductees.
fort myers beach Fort Myers Beach to implement temporary emergency traffic measure to assist EMS response The Town of Fort Myers Beach and the FMB Fire District have implemented a temporary emergency measure due to response time concerns with first responders and traffic.
PORT CHARLOTTE Charlotte County woman out on bond arrested again for drug trafficking, possession The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a woman who allegedly violated her bond as she was caught trafficking and possessing several forms of drugs.
FORT MYERS Florida Southwestern State College to hold free Spring Concert series Florida Southwestern State College is set to hold a series of free concerts throughout April.
the weather authority Mostly sunny, warmer for your Wednesday afternoon plans The Weather Authority is tracking mostly sunny conditions, bringing warmer temperatures throughout this Wednesday.
Collier County teen injured in violent parking lot incident A teenager is fighting for his life after a violent confrontation in Collier County.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers recycling facilty catches fire; smoke visible for miles Thick smoke erupted from a Fort Myers recycling facility on Tuesday evening as flames tore through the building.
ROTONDA Rotonda residents worry as legal battle over bridge closure heats up Charlotte County is gearing up for a legal battle over the Rotonda Bridge, which has been closed since Hurricane Ian.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers’ Howard Sapp seeks to break GOP hold in district 19 race Howard Sapp has announced his candidacy to represent Southwest Florida in Washington, D.C. Sapp, a Democrat, aims to succeed Republican Congressman Byron Donalds, who is running for governor of Florida.
FORT MYERS Laser lockup: Teen arrested for pointing laser at LCSO aviation unit A Lee County teenager has been arrested for pointing a laser at an aircraft, a dangerous act that poses significant risks to aviation safety.
Southwest Florida Collier clinic lease fight leaves families fearing healthcare loss A legal battle is unfolding in Collier County as Lee Health Systems takes on Nicklaus Children’s Hospital over a lease dispute
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach FEMA probation could end sooner than expected Fort Myers Beach may soon see relief from high flood insurance bills. The town lost its FEMA flood insurance discount last fall and was placed on probation, putting homeowners at risk of higher costs.
In this September 2020 photo provided by Palm Beach Gardens Fire and Rescue, firefighters from left to right, Julie Dudley, Sandi Ladewski, Monica Marzullo, Krystyna Krakowski and Kelsey Krzywada pose at their station in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. The women who made history by working an entire firefighting shift with no men are still thriving at their fire department in Florida months later. The members of the team at Palm Beach Gardens Fire Rescue say they’ve succeeded in a heavily male-dominated profession for a couple of reasons. One is that their male colleagues and supervisors have enthusiastically supported them. (Krystyna Krakowski/Palm Beach Gardens Fire and Rescue via AP) Krystyna Krakowski became a firefighter in Florida at a time when there were very few women to work beside or guide her in the service. Twenty years later, she is not only thriving but also recruiting more females into the profession. Krakowski is one of five women at Palm Beach Gardens Fire Rescue who made department history last year by working an entire shift with no male colleagues — a feat that went viral on social media. She and her team members say they have been able to succeed thanks to both the support of the men they work with and by pushing through every challenge that comes their way. The chain saw-and-ax-wielding women note they are held to the same standards as the men, physically and otherwise, and that the public should be aware that men and women of the department work together to help people. “I’ve worked super hard to be strong from Day One,” said firefighter Julie Dudley. “I still remember being in an academy and the instructor looking at me going, ‘If you want to do girly push ups you can,’ and I was like, ‘Excuse me. No, I’m good. I got this.’” The firefighters’ success is notable in a profession that is so heavily male-dominated and that has seen numerous lawsuits from women alleging discrimination and sexual harassment in fire departments across the country. The day they worked the all-woman shift, they were encouraged and cheered on by the men of the Palm Beach Gardens Fire Rescue. “Even our battalion chiefs sent us a message: ‘Good luck, ladies, all eyes are on you today. Show ‘em what you got,’” Krakowski said. “It was exciting to say that every position was filled by a female. … We played every role. We’re capable. We’ve made it.” It wasn’t always easy, however. Even some of the women on the history-making team had to overcome prior obstacles. In the fire department where she previously worked, Krakowski says she was the target of a hazing. She said fellow firefighters awoke her with an airhorn, held her down and zip-tied her hands and legs. When the incident came up on a radio show, Krakowski said she felt compelled to call in because comments from the public were so awful. “It was heart-wrenching to hear another woman say, ‘She doesn’t belong in a firehouse. It must be a girl who needs attention,’” Krakowski said. “I’m a hardworking single mom. I’ve been that way almost my entire life; nothing has ever been given.” Kelsey Krzywada said at her first fire school, instructors were unwilling to help her when she struggled with the training because of her small size. At the second school she tried, however, “They were encouraging, regardless of your size, your gender,” Krzywada said. “They loved their career, and they wanted all of us to love it too.” Kryzwada said her choice of professions also negatively affected a relationship. “His girl works with chain saws and fire, and he feels a little less of a man,” she remarked of a former partner. When their all-woman shift went viral, most of the feedback on social media was positive, but there were detractors as well. “We’d have people going, ‘How are you going to carry my 300-pound husband out of a building over your shoulder when it’s on fire?’” Julie Dudley said. “Well, we’re not. And I can tell you that no man in our department is going to do it either.” The firefighters acknowledge that the physical aspects of the job can be challenging, but they said they have learned how to play to their strengths as women rather than relying on brute force. As smaller women, Krzywada and Krakowski have found alternate but effective ways to do their job, whether it’s pulling a hose line or throwing ladders, they said. And while there are still plenty of “good old boy” fire departments in the U.S., the women see a positive shift away from that as more young people enter. Sandi Ladewski said any male firefighters at the Palm Beach Gardens department who didn’t approve of women working in the industry have since left. The ones who remain — both colleagues and superiors — have supported the women and helped them to thrive and grow in numbers, she said. Krakowski said she hopes to start seeing even more women join the ranks as instructors. Monica Marzullo, who was the second female in history to work in her last department, says the presence of more women brings a sense of camaraderie. “The guys have always had each other. They have that brotherhood,” Marzullo said. “And it’s nice, too, when you have good women that are actually interested in helping one another.” Since going viral, Dudley and Krakowski said they’ve received messages on social media from women wanting to become firefighters. Both said they welcome and advise them on how to enter the field. “I have … one little niece (who) wants to be a firefighter,” Ladewski said. “She wants to help people like Auntie Sandi.”