Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Recognitions topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commissioners honor CPR advocate Andrew Emerton and Sun City Center volunteer EMS squad
Summary
The board recognized Andrew Emerton for founding Breathe Florida after surviving cardiac arrest and commended the Sun City Center Emergency Squad for 60 years of volunteer service and recent national awards.
At the start of the Dec. 17 meeting, the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners presented two recognitions. Commissioner Bowles commended Andrew Emerton for surviving sudden cardiac arrest and for founding the nonprofit Breathe Florida, which sponsors no-cost CPR certification for high school students; board executed a formal commendation dated Dec. 2025.
Later, Commissioner Miller presented a commendation to the Sun City Center Emergency Squad for 60 years of volunteer service and for being named Volunteer EMS Service of the Year by EMS World and the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians. Staff and commissioners praised the squad's volunteer model (about 370 volunteers and nearly 4,000 ambulance calls annually) as a public-good that supplements county emergency response and saves taxpayer dollars.
Dr. Sam, a retired ER physician, gave a short CPR demonstration explaining compression depth and rate and encouraged training and AED familiarization. Commissioners thanked both honorees for community service.
