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Ever wondered what it’s like to drive an ambulance through the busy streets of Pinellas County? Operating a high-tech ambulance weighing in at more than five tons is a lot different than driving your everyday sedan or SUV. Add the fact that operators must ensure the...

When asked to describe his roles with Sunstar and the Bay Area Youth Track and Field (BAYTAF), Leroy Funderburk paraphrases former pro football coach Tony Dungy: “My only job,” he says, “is to make the team better.” As Operations Supervisor at Sunstar, Funderburk...

At Sunstar, the training never stops. “We have a very robust education system,” explains paramedic Ian Black. Members of the Sunstar team undergo hours of continuing education every month, rigorous certification programs such as Advanced Cardiac Life Support and...

It was November 2013, and EMT Jay Messier and Paramedic Brent Jackson were seated at the Thanksgiving table with Ian Ondina and his family. Before the meal began, Ian offered a Thanksgiving prayer. “He said, ‘I just want to start off by thanking you guys for saving my...

Dave Selbach was sitting at a stoplight when a car ahead of him began to make a left turn. As the car turned, its back door opened, and Selbach could see a child safety seat nearly coming out of the car. A parent himself, Selbach says that the sight of that seat...

You may have seen the Sunstar Honor Guard at parades or sporting events around Tampa Bay, marching in unison with their rifles and flags, the silver buttons on their uniforms shining in the Florida sun. Or you may have seen them on a serious occasion, as they present...

Life as a special weapons and tactic (SWAT) medic is a study in extremes. On some calls, medics may be staged in an ambulance, armored vehicle or in strategic locations surrounding the perimeter of a building often for hours at a time. But when it’s time to act,...

The news of the tragic riding lawnmower accident that severed 2-year-old Ireland Nugent’s ankles shook the entire Pinellas community. Sunstar Paramedics Christopher Jennings and Jay Horne were among the first emergency responders on the scene that day. As a father of...

Every day, around the clock, Sunstar saves lives. But did you know that in addition to providing lifesaving EMT and Paramedic services, Sunstar improves the lives of Pinellas County residents through extensive volunteer work? Charlene Cobb, NR-EMTP, Sunstar’s...

Sunstar Paramedic Jason Bihlajama recognized her the second she walked into the room: Melissa Dohme, the young woman whose life he had helped save after she was brutally attacked by an ex-boyfriend in 2012. She looked healthy; happy to be alive; grateful. Her wounds...