In 1972, The Order of the Rising Sun, an American Fascist group, obtained 80 pounds of the typhoid bacteria and planned to dump it into drinking water supplies in the American Midwest. Fortunately, neither of these attempts succeeded. Fortunately, Pinellas County and many of the Tampa Bay area community agencies have begun to plan and practice for acts of terrorism and are working with federal, State and local agencies. An agreement with the VA Hospital would supply adequate pharmaceuticals for up to 20,000 doses as an emergency re-supply source. We are fortunate to have the VA and the FBI here.
Education remains the mainstay of preparedness.
Training and education is provided, many times free of charge, to both emergency response personnel and health care providers. With the wide variety of weapons and biological agents that are available, it is crucial that we continue to update and re-educate ourselves in awareness. Sunstar Communications employees have received this award eight out of nine times. Sunstar EMT, Donnie Ollek, received both the Pinellas EMT of the Year and the EMT of the Year award for the state of Florida. These awards were given out in July of this year at Clincon in Orlando.