Homebuilder donates site, five old buildings to fire department

NAPLES — Neal Communities, one of the most prolific homebuilders in the region, recently donated a site and five structures to the Greater Naples Fire Rescue District for live training.

The buildings on the site, the future home of Marquesa Isles, a new Naples community, were going to be demolished, the company says in a statement. Instead, before the structures were torn down, in March, about 400 firefighting personnel participated in nearly 150 hours of real-life training scenario simulations. The Greater Naples Fire District ignited small fires inside the structures to allow firefighters the opportunity to recognize the changing fire conditions in a controlled environment. All live fire-training exercises are carefully planned and closely controlled by certified Live Fire Instructor trainers, the release adds.