Local Events
FHP Welcomes Petty Charity Riders
An FHP Camaro escorts the riders as they
leave
the Santa Rosa “pit
stop.”
The Florida Highway Patrol welcomed the Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across
America into the state of Florida on Friday, June 27, as the caravan
entered Pensacola on its way east and then south to Daytona for the big
celebration commemorating Dale Earnhardt. With two marked units waiting
at the state line, approximately 200 motorcyclists and over one hundred
other vehicles entered Florida in the long procession.
The first “pit stop” in Florida was held at the Avalon exit in
Santa Rosa County, where hundreds of Nascar racing fans gathered to
welcome the charity ride participants. After a short rest break, the
ride continued southeast to its final destination, the Boggy Creek Gang
Camp outside of Daytona Beach. The FHP, along with several county
agencies, provided escort service for the charity participants as they
completed their ride across America.
Additional photos
|
FHP & Home Depot Promote Safety
Lt. John Bagnardi, Troop H – Tallahassee, demonstrates
the rollover simulator at a local Home
Depot.
The Florida Highway Patrol partnered with Home Depot Stores across the northern part of the state to promote seat
belt and child restraint use as part of Home Depot’s annual Safety Day.
Recently, Lt. John Bagnardi demonstrated one of FHP’s rollover simulators to hundreds of enthusiastic
parents and children during the four-hour event. The combination of listening to Lt. Bagnardi talk about the dangers of
not buckling up and watching the unrestrained crash dummies get ejected from the rolling truck was enough to
convince many of the on-lookers that wearing a seat belt is the right thing to do!
Lt. Joe Tucker, Troop A
Also, Lt. Joe Tucker and Bob Fleming (IPTM) manned an information booth at the local Home Depot in
Panama City, spreading the word to parents and kids that seat belts really do save lives!
|
Battle of Belts Yields Good Results
Members of the Media and the local Community
Traffic Safety Team help with the kick off event.
The kick off and press conference for the Bay County Battle of the Belts was held recently at Arnold High School on
Panama City Beach. Local media from channels 7 and 13 provided live coverage of the event during their one-hour
morning shows.
The Battle of the Belts contest concluded when FHP Lt. Joe Tucker and Captain Bishop, Panama City
Police Department, presented the top award for the highest increase in seat belt use to Bay County Deputy Andy
Smith, the school resource officer for Bay High School. Bay High School students began the “battle” with a 45% seat
belt usage rate, and ended with a 53% usage rate.
Lt Joe Tucker, Deputy Smith,
and Captain Bishop
Lt. Joe Tucker presented another Battle of the Belts Award to Rutherford High School Principal Joe Bullock,
for maintaining the highest percentage of seat belt compliance for the duration of the contests. Students at Rutherford
High maintained a 64% usage rate during the campaign.
Chairman John Brooks, Bay County School Board,
Principal Bullock, Lt. Joe Tucker, and Bay County
Superintendent, James McCallister.
|
National Police Week 2003
Peace Officers Memorial Day
May 15, 2003
While the Florida Highway Patrol did not lose an officer in the line of duty during 2002, we recognize the
sacrifice of our fellow law enforcement officers nationally and internationally. The National Law Enforcement Officer
Memorial flag shown above is proudly flying above the Marianna Florida Highway Patrol Station.
In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed the following proclamation authorizing May 15 of each year to be
designated as Peace Officers Memorial Day:
To pay tribute to the law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country and to
voice our appreciation for all those who currently serve on the front lines of the battle against crime, the Congress, by a
joint resolution approved October 1, 1962 (75 Stat.676), has authorized and requested the President to designate May
15 of each year as "Peace Officers Memorial Day," and the week in which it falls as "Police Week" and by Public Law
103-322 (36 U.S.C. 175) has requested that the flag be flown at half-staff on Peace Officers Memorial Day.
Thirty-seven (37) Florida Highway Patrol troopers and one (1) auxiliary trooper have been killed in the line of duty since 1939.
|
Cops & Kids Safety Day
Trooper Nixie Miller and Lt. Joe Tucker at the event.
Troop A-Panama City participated in the annual Cops & Kids Safety Day, sponsored by the Panama City
Police Department, on April 25-26, 2003.
Over 1500 kids and parents attended the event to learn about traffic safety, and to ask questions about bike
safety, child safety seats, booster seats, and other important traffic safety issues. Lt. Joe Tucker, Trooper Nixie Miller,
and Auxiliary Trooper Dimitri Vlahakis set up a display booth at the event and spoke with parents and their children
about the importance of riding safely on our roadways. Hundreds of items with safety messages and valuable safety
information were handed out to the curious public at this popular event.
|
Battle of Belts Underway in Bay County
Participants in Bay County’s Battle of the Belts
Four Bay County high schools are competing for a trophy and cash in a local competition, held between now
and the end of school, that honors the high school with the most students wearing safety belts.
The 2nd Annual Battle of the Belts competition, coordinated by the Bay County Community Traffic Safety
Team (CTST), is an event designed to help encourage high school students to wear their safety belts every time they
drive or ride in vehicles.
As a member of the Bay County CTST, FHP's Lt. Joe Tucker (shown in the above photo, far right) reminded
participants that car crashes are the number one killer of teens.
He added that timing of the Battle of the Belts event was good because it is almost summertime, and the goal of the
program was to have students leave school with safety belts on their minds.
Earlier this month, traffic officials conducted an unannounced survey, secretly monitoring the number of
students wearing safety belts as they left the parking lots from their respective schools. Later in May, another survey
will be conducted to see if educational efforts to encourage safety belt usage are effective. The winning school – the
one with the highest number of students wearing safety belts during the survey – will receive a trophy and a cash award
to be used for school functions next year.
Although the Battle of the Belts competition is all in fun, the number of teens who have died in car crashes
because they were not wearing their safety belts is no laughing matter. As recent as March, Bay County mourned the
death of a 17-year old student who was killed when she lost control of her car on County Road 2301. She might be
alive today if she had been wearing her safety belt when she crashed.
|
Crestview District Thanks Military Personnel
On March 26, 2003, a large yellow ribbon was prominently displayed around a large oak tree on the front
lawn of the Crestview FHP station. The location of the display at the corner of US 90 and SR 85 in Crestview reminds
thousands of people daily to think of our military personnel and the sacrifices they and their families must endure at this
time in our nation’s history. A total of 21 troopers and two duty officers have also been called to active duty by the military.
The Crestview District is not only known for it’s beautiful beaches, but it is also the home to several military
installations, including Eglin Air Force Base (the largest in the world) and Hurlburt Field, both of which are heavily
involved in action in both Afghanistan and Iraq. The Crestview District office staff and troopers wanted to display their
heartfelt thanks to the men and women serving in our military, and also to let the families of those serving know that the
men and women of the Florida Highway Patrol are saying "Thank You".
Captain Dan Parkton, Crestview District Commander, said that since the ribbon has been displayed,
numerous motorists have registered their similar sentiments by blowing their vehicle horn as they passed by the
station. Pictured in the photo above are, left to right, Lt. Gary Howze, Pablo Garcia, Debra Ross, Captain Parkton, and
Sue Madden.
|
Troopers Help Out With Toys For Tots
Lt. Larson, USMC and
FHP Senior Clerk Tristy Corey
The Pensacola District held a toy drive collecting for the United States Marine Corps’ national Toys for Tots
campaign. Florida Highway Patrol members worked together to brighten Christmas for some of the local children in
the area. The effort produced sixty toys that were given to USMC employees for their local program. FHP’s Senior
Clerk Tristy Corey was instrumental in bringing the Toys for Tots program to the Pensacola area, and, with a little elfin
magic, was able to ensure a merrier holiday for some lucky children! |
|
| Three Pensacola-area students received attention from local law
enforcement recently for doing the right thing - they buckled up! The Florida Highway Patrol and Buckle Up Florida
presented David Sanders, Justin Burger, and Christopher Burger with “Saved by the Belt” awards on November 27,
2002, at the Pensacola Florida Highway Patrol station.
On August 21, 2002, the three Tate High School students were involved in a head-on collision on County
Road 97 in Cantonment. The nomination from the Florida Highway Patrol indicated that all three were wearing their
safety belts when the car in which they were riding collided with another vehicle practically head-on. All three were
severely injured, and required extensive hospitalization and/or rehabilitation. Fortunately, all three students survived
this serious crash, and it is quite possible that if they had not taken the time to buckle up, they would not be alive today.
Shown left to right in the above photo after the awards presentation are David Sanders, his father Jim
Sanders, Justin Burger, his father Doug Burger, and Christopher Burger.
The Buckle Up Florida “Saved By the Belt” award is presented to victims of traffic crashes who were saved
from death or serious injury because they were wearing their safety belts. |
 |
| The Florida Highway Patrol, Bay County Sheriff’s Office, State Farm Insurance
Company, and Applebee’s—all came together to sponsor a Bike Rodeo and Child Passenger Safety Event at the
Applebee’s in Panama City on November 16th. Because of the rain, the event had to be moved inside the restaurant.
However, despite the bad weather, dozens of children and their parents turned out for the event. Parents were grateful
for the free safety literature, and the kids were happy to receive free bike helmets! Lt. Joe Tucker and Trooper Nixie
Miller represented FHP at this event. |
|
