The North Collier Fire Control and Rescue District is the first in Florida to give out fire hats that don’t harm the environment. This week they made their debut during an event in Bonita Shores.
Heather Mazurkiewicz, public information officer, says her department typically hands out 10,000 to 15,000 red firefighter hats each year. Until now, the hats have been made of plastic. When Mazurkiewicz heard of a new plant-based hat, she wanted North Collier to make the switch.
“I looked it up and thought ‘this is really cool,’” Mazurkiewicz said. “What a great concept. Collier County has an award-winning recycling program, and I felt it just fell in line with that. We are excited about the sustainability. It has been really cool to be a part of it and try to change some things.”
The new hats are made from the extra leftover fiber after sugar cane is processed. Right now, the hats come from China, but the owner of Better Choice Costumes, who created these hats, says next year the process will move to the United States and use leftover wheat product…