3rd Annual Day of Service
Collier County Sheriff's Office Est. 2024 3rd Annual

Honor. Reflect. Prepare.

The 3rd Annual Day of Service — an Emergency Readiness Summit honoring the legacy of September 11th, recognizing the first responders who serve our community, and equipping Collier County residents with the skills to protect the people they love.

Date Saturday, August 29, 2026 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Venue The Ritz-Carlton Naples Beach Resort
Admission Complimentary Residents age 55+
A Note from the Sheriff

Service to others, before self.

This is a terrific opportunity for members of our community to heighten their emergency resilience and mitigate risk. And at the same time, it is an event that honors our current first responders — and their brave predecessors who rushed in to rescue others during the September 11th attacks.

Sheriff Kevin Rambosk, Collier County Sheriff's Office

500+
Residents Served
at the 2025 summit
12
Breakout Courses
across three rotations
950
Emergency Kits
assembled by volunteers
3rd
Annual Convening
one of ten nationwide
About the Summit

An event built on three promises — to our past, our protectors, and our neighbors.

Every year, the Collier County Sheriff's Office convenes a summit specifically for residents age 55 and over — a population that faces unique risks during natural disasters, medical emergencies, and public-safety incidents. The Day of Service pairs practical, hands-on emergency preparedness training with a formal tribute to the first responders who serve us today and the memory of those who gave everything on September 11th, 2001.

It is one of only ten convenings of its kind in the United States, and the only one in Florida, made possible through an AmeriCorps Seniors grant and the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.

I.

Honor

A formal opening ceremony with the Sheriff's Honor Guard, remarks from Sheriff Rambosk, and a keynote from the Tunnel to Towers Foundation — recognizing the first responders of September 11th, 2001.

II.

Reflect

Twelve awards presented to current first responders and civilian community members whose actions — often quiet, often uncelebrated — have saved lives and strengthened Collier County.

III.

Prepare

Twelve breakout courses covering CPR, Stop the Bleed, active-shooter response, hurricane readiness, home hardening, and more — taught by the same professionals who respond when seconds matter.

The Day

A deliberate cadence, from first coffee to final salute.

The summit unfolds in four movements — a morning of welcome and remembrance, a midday of learning, an afternoon of recognition, and a closing call to community.

Movement I Morning

Welcome & Opening Ceremony

Arrival, breakfast, and the formal opening.

Breakfast buffet with coffee service begins at check-in. The opening ceremony features the presentation of colors by the Sheriff's Honor Guard, remarks from Sheriff Kevin Rambosk, and a keynote from the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. Emceed by Zach Maloch of WINK News.
Movement II Midday

Breakout Sessions

Three rotations. Five rooms. Twelve courses.

Attendees select from twelve courses taught by law enforcement, fire & rescue, emergency management, and medical professionals. Community partner exhibits remain open between rotations in the main hall.
Movement III Lunch & Awards

First Responder Awards Ceremony

A plated lunch and the presentation of honors.

A lunch buffet precedes the formal recognition of twelve honorees — first responders and citizens of Collier County whose actions over the past year have demonstrated uncommon service. Phoenix Awards are presented to civilian honorees.
Movement IV Afternoon

Call to Action & Close

A final gathering and the day's charge.

The summit closes with a Call to Action inviting attendees to continue serving their community as volunteers. Attendees depart with a complimentary emergency readiness kit and the training they came to receive.
The Curriculum

Twelve courses. Taught by the people who respond when seconds matter.

Every course is led by a working professional — sworn deputies, firefighters, paramedics, and emergency managers — not career speakers. You'll leave with hands-on training you can use the same afternoon.

01 — Medical

CPR & AED

Hands-only CPR and automated external defibrillator use — the two skills that most often save a life before a paramedic arrives.

02 — Medical

Stop the Bleed

Tourniquet application, wound packing, and pressure technique. The national program that turns bystanders into first responders.

03 — Safety

ASHER: Active Shooter Response

Run, hide, fight. An evidence-based framework for surviving an active attacker, led by Lt. Bohannon of the Sheriff's Office.

04 — Safety

Crime Prevention for Seniors

Recognizing fraud, avoiding target-selection behaviors, and protecting yourself and your neighbors. Taught by Lt. Sawyer.

05 — Weather

Heat Preparedness

Recognizing heat exhaustion and heat stroke, managing chronic conditions in Florida's summer, and preparing for outages.

06 — Weather

Severe Weather & Hurricanes

Decision timelines, evacuation versus shelter-in-place, and what the National Weather Service products actually mean.

07 — Home

Preparing Your Home

Hardening your home for wind and water, managing utilities before a storm, and the often-overlooked interior checklist.

08 — Fire

Fire Extinguisher Training

Proper use of a fire extinguisher using NCFire's digital-trainer system — hands-on practice without the smoke.

09 — Home

Family Safety Planning

Building a written plan for your household — meeting points, out-of-area contacts, medication lists, and go-bag contents.

10 — Digital

Smart911 & Text-to-911

How to pre-load life-saving medical and household information into the 911 system — before you ever need it.

11 — Shelter

Collier County Shelters

Who shelters are designed for, what to bring, pet accommodations, and special medical needs registration.

12 — Access

Assisting Persons with Disabilities

Helping neighbors with mobility, sensory, or cognitive needs during a disaster — a practical guide for family and friends.

Course schedule subject to change. All attendees may select three rotations at registration.

The Awards

Twelve honorees. A full-dress recognition of the people who run toward trouble.

The Awards Ceremony recognizes twelve members of the Collier County community — a mix of sworn first responders and civilians — whose actions over the past year have exemplified uncommon service, courage, or commitment to their neighbors.

Honorees are nominated by colleagues, supervisors, and community members. The selection committee includes representatives from the Sheriff's Office, fire rescue agencies, and partner nonprofits.

A Note on the Phoenix Award

“For citizens whose quiet action saved or changed a life.”

The Phoenix Award specifically recognizes non–first-responder community members — the neighbor who performed CPR, the passerby who called for help, the volunteer who stayed. It honors the truth that preparedness is a community act.

Partners & Sponsors

Presented in partnership with the people who keep Collier County moving.

The Day of Service is made possible by an extraordinary coalition of public-safety agencies, community nonprofits, healthcare systems, and federal partners.

Collier County
Sheriff's Office
Host
AmeriCorps
Seniors
Funding Partner
Tunnel to Towers
Foundation
Keynote Partner
Collier County
Emergency Management
Public Safety
Greater Naples
Fire Rescue
Instructors
North Collier
Fire Rescue
Instructors
Marco Island
Fire Rescue
Instructors
Naples Community
Hospital
Medical Training
Healthcare Network
of SWFL
Community Health
United Way of
Collier & the Keys
Volunteer Coordination
Collier
Resource Center
Community Partner
St. Matthew's
House
Community Partner
Baker
Senior Center
Senior Services
Collier County
Museums
Community Partner
City of
Marco Island
Municipal Partner
AAASWFL
Area Agency on Aging
Senior Services
Registration

Join us on August 29, 2026.

Registration opens six weeks before the event. Space is limited to 350 attendees; admission is complimentary and priority is given to Collier County residents age 55 and over. Emergency kits and meals are provided to all registered attendees.

Registration opens July 2026. Bookmark this page or call (239) 252-9300 for details.