Fire Marshal Leo Rodgers with the Immokalee Fire Control District handed in his retirement letter at the February Board of Fire Commissioner’s meeting. In a career that’s spanned some 40 years, much of that time has been spent serving the Immokalee Community. At the age of 16, Leo started his career in the fire service as a volunteer with the Isle of Capri Fire District. Since then he’s worked for the Ravenswood Griffin Volunteer Fire Department, City of Lauderhill Fire Department, and City of Marco Island Fire Department. While initially volunteering for the Immokalee Fire Control District, Leo worked as a Corrections Officer with the State of Florida Department of Corrections for a year before he was hired by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office where he served as a Corrections Officer for another six years. Leo later left the Sheriff’s Office for a full-time position with the Immokalee Fire Control District. He was eventually promoted to Lieutenant Inspector in the Prevention division before being promoted to Fire Marshal and then Division Chief over Inspections and Prevention. Throughout his career, Leo has always gone the extra mile by organizing Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training classes as well as Crowd Manager and CPR courses. Leo’s legacy at the Immokalee Fire Control District will continue to live on as public safety has become a family business. Leo’s son Cody Rodgers is a Lieutenant with the District while his daughter Tiffany Mendoza (married to Battalion Chief Robert Mendoza) is the District’s new part-time secretary. Additionally, Leo’s other son Kenny Rodgers works as a Corrections Officer with the Collier County Sheriff’s Office. When asked what his retirements plans are, Leo said he and his wife Nettie are planning to relocate to Tennessee in the near future. Congratulations Leo on your well-deserved retirement!