National Night Out brings Keys residents closer to first responders

National Night Out 2022 was held Aug. 2, 2022, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., with the community invited to meet first responders. The campaign gives Monroe County residents a free, annual chance to meet the deputies, firefighters and other first responders who may be called to their neighborhoods after a crash, storm or investigation. Registration is free but required each year.

In the Florida Keys, public safety can hinge on distance, traffic on U.S. 1, weather, bridge closures and coordination across multiple islands. Monroe County Emergency Management prepares the county for any event that might threaten the safety of residents and visitors, while the Florida Department of Transportation keeps travel and construction information moving for U.S. 1 and bridge projects, including work around the Long Key Bridge and Channel 5 Bridge.

In a county stretched from Key Largo through Islamorada and Marathon to Key West, National Night Out gives families, new arrivals and longtime residents a place to ask about traffic stops, boating safety, neighborhood crime and hurricane readiness. Monroe County Sheriff’s Office has promoted events across the Upper Keys, Middle Keys and Lower Keys.

National Night Out 2022 was held Aug. 2, 2022, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., with the community invited to meet first responders. Monroe County Sheriff’s Office carried the same message to families across the islands and encouraged people to bring the kids.

The sheriff’s office also ties that outreach to its Citizens Police Academy, a community-partnership program. The academy introduces residents to patrol work, jail procedures, traffic stops, crime scene investigations, weapons and specialty teams including bomb, dive and SWAT units.