​When you donate to Heart Like Harlie, your donation helps purchase Fire/EMS Rescue boats. Fluid Watercraft are very efficient safe boats that save lives!
Board Members Marc Mascarelli / Lee County Marine Response Program Manager. Terry L. Abel Treasure / Fire Chief of Islamorada Fire Rescue/ John Flynn Fire Chief of Ocean Reef Community Association
Board Members Marc Mascarelli / Lee County Marine Response Program Manager. Terry L. Abel Treasure / Fire Chief of Islamorada Fire Rescue/ John Flynn Fire Chief of Ocean Reef Community Association
HLH đź’™ FIRE/EMS Boats needed for the Florida Keys!!
Did you know that one of Florida's most popular destinations, The Florida Keys—Monroe County has inadequate coverage of Fire/EMS Rescue boats to assist in the event of an emergency? In August of 2017, in the Keys, we learned that the hard and tragic way ...
We have spent many, many summers boating in the Florida Keys.
Our family experienced a tragic emergency with our daughter Harlie a few miles from land and discovered we were on our own! We first use EPIRB, then VHF, 911 several times begging for immediate medical help. We were told to drive ourselves to shore. We were in a dead zone between the more popular islands. A man who tows boats heard the distress USCG calls, came and got us to shore! If this man wasn’t there that day … We would have been stranded less then 3 miles from shore indefinitely! USCG would have got to us eventually….but stationed far away! Monroe County Fire Rescue was first at shore out WAITING at the docks for us, Paramedics, Sheriff, and FWC officers were also there WAITING for us. Having to get to shore with NO MEDICAL HELP was a traumatizing experience we endured with our daughter, Harlie… which unfortunately can NEVER be forgotten! We now know that 100’s of miles of Monroe County shores, almost all of the Florida Keys has inadequate coverage of FIRE/EMS boats to assist in an emergency!
Our plan and wish is that NO other family should ever have to feel so helpless and go through the terror we did that day in the Florida Keys. Monroe County has over 27,000 registered vessels. A huge boating destination for thousands of visitors! There is very little if any medical help on 95% the waters in the Florida Keys!!! Please help us bring awareness and resources to Monroe County in a joint effort to increase public safety for boaters. The three counties topping the list above Monroe are Dade, Broward, and Lee. All counties have maritime response assistance. Several Medical Boats!!! Our goal is to get Medical/ Fire response boat for Monroe County ASAP in an effort to jumpstart a much needed marine program. We hope to eliminate the dead zones one by one! Please help our family and Harlie make a difference… Sincerely Thank You!!!