Fire chiefs discuss Fort Myers Beach and Iona McGregor merger proposal

Fort Myers Beach Fire and Iona McGregor Fire Departments are considering a merger to better serve their communities.

The two fire districts held their second meeting to discuss what this potential merger would mean for local residents.

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Fort Myers Beach Fire District Chief Scott Wirth said, “We really need to understand if that is beneficial for the taxpayers, so we got proactive on it, and said, ‘You know what? This is what the law says, let’s study it. Let’s do the right thing and see if this truly is what’s best for the communities.'”

During the meeting, community members had the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback. Although the two fire districts are neighbors, they handle different types of calls.

“The east part of the county has different call types than I have on the beach. They have a lot of brush fires and wildfires and stuff, and they have high-speed accidents and things like that,” said Wirth.

Chief Seth Comer of Iona McGregor Fire District added, “When it comes to emergency response, those boundaries evaporate. The closest unit to anybody who calls 911 is going to be the one that gets dispatched, so that does cause us to cross boundaries.”

The decision on the merger will ultimately be made through a referendum, with community input playing a crucial role.

Next week, a survey will be sent out to gather more feedback from residents in both districts.