The burning question around North Pinellas fire stations these days is how will the county's plan to renegotiate emergency medical service funding to local agencies impact their ability to serve their communities. Last week a unanimous County Commission voted to revisit the county's first-responder contract with 19 cities and fire districts, which helps the cities and districts pay for firefighter-paramedics. ...more

February 28, 2009

Editor's note: This letter was e-mailed to Hernando County commissioners on Tuesday and is reprinted here at the author's request. ...more

September 17, 2008

SEBRING — Like every paramedic who's served 30-plus years, Mickey Byrd has dealt with critical life-and-death situations and has more than a few gripping stories. One of his in particular, about a terminal teenage patient whom he says "surely must be an angel," puts a lump in the throat of anybody with a functional heart. ...more

May 5, 2008

SEBRING — On average, a 911 call brings a Highlands County EMS ambulance crew to the scene of a medical emergency in five to six minutes. "That's an excellent response time for a rural county," said Steve Coltharp, interim director of county EMS. ...more

October 4, 2007