Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Land O’ Lakes teen Tiffany Reinhardt saves Lutz man from burning car

By Kyle LoJacono

Tiffany Reinhardt saw the overturned car on fire and heard a man pleading for help. The flames inched closer to the vehicles gas tank, which would have likely caused a deadly explosion in a matter of seconds.

Reinhardt didn’t care.

The Land O’ lakes teen was traveling on Leonard Road near Cot Road in Lutz at 9:30 p.m. on July 26. She was leaving a friend’s house with another friend and her younger sister Tosha when she saw the crash.

“I heard the guy yelling for help, so I jumped out of the car and ran over there,” Reinhardt said. “A lady was yelling at me to get away, but I knew I had time to get him out.”

Tosha remembers the fire being a lot closer to the gas tank.

“I was so scared because I saw the fire right by the tank and I thought it would explode at any second,” Tosha said. “She’s a miracle.”

Reinhardt estimates there were 15 to 20 people standing near the crash at the time.

“She was the only one who helped,” said Michael Simmerman, 35, who escaped with bruises and minor burns.

Reinhardt said there was never any question about what she had to do.

“I was scared, but I wasn’t going to sit there and watch him burn to death,” Reinhardt said. “I knew I could help him and had the time to do it before the fire reached the gas tank. I knew it could explode, but I wasn’t really thinking about that. I don’t really know how to explain it. I just thought if it explodes, at least I’ll die trying to save somebody.”

The Florida Highway Patrol report from the accident states Simmerman crashed into an electric fuse box, hit a tree and then flipped after the Lutz man lost control of his car. He was wearing his seatbelt and alcohol was not involved.

Simmerman was trying to crawl out of the passenger side when Reinhardt got to the car. She pulled him out through the window, which had broken out during the wreck.

“I got him to the other side of the road and tried to keep him talking so he didn’t pass out,” Reinhardt said.

Reinhardt has been in a car wreck before, but said she has never seen anything like what she saw that Tuesday night.

“To me it was like a movie,” Reinhardt said. “It seemed like it took hours, but it probably was only a couple of minutes.”

To add another element of danger, Reinhardt said the heat from the fire was causing glass and other parts of the car to fly off as if it was sizzling in a frying pan.

“That was the most nerve-racking part,” Reinhardt said. “I was on the phone with the cops, trying to pull him to safety and not get hit with the stuff flying.”

Reinhardt suffered first and second degree burns on both her hands as a result of patting out fire on Simmerman’s arms and legs after she pulled him from the car. She still has to wear bandages to prevent infection.

Reinhardt stayed with Simmerman until she saw paramedics arrive. She went with her mother Christine Lawrence to St. Joseph’s Hospital-North in Lutz to treat her hands.

Reinhardt turned 18 years old less than two weeks before the crash. She lost Medicaid insurance when she turned 18, so her mother sold some jewelry to pay for the treatment.

“And that’s OK,” Lawrence said. “I can replace those things, but I can’t replace my daughter. We don’t want anything from anyone because of what she did, because God will reward her for what she did.”

Reinhardt said there isn’t a lot of pain because of the burns, but her hands itch a lot and she cannot pick up or touch anything.

Despite the temporary pain and money needed to get well, Reinhardt said she would do the same thing again.

“That’s the way we raised our kids; to always help people if you can,” Lawrence said. “If you have the chance to save someone, you have to try. The thing is, she always tries and act all tough and like she doesn’t care about anyone, so sometimes I wondered if this child had a heart, but when it came down to it, she did what a lot of other people wouldn’t do. She’s my hero.”

Simmerman broke down several times when Reinhardt visited him in the hospital two days after the crash.

“There isn’t anything I can say to thank her enough for what she did,” Simmerman said. “I get to see my son again because of her.”

Reinhardt got a call from Simmerman’s 4-year-old, Michael Jr., thanking her for what she did.

“He said thank you for saving my dad,” Reinhardt said. She then added, “It made me feel proud of myself for what I did because he still has his dad.”

By Joe Potter

VIPs wearing pink hard hats and wielding a pink sledgehammer knocked down a wall as construction began Thursday on a comprehensive Breast Health Center at Florida Hospital Zephyrhills.

The $1.5-million, 11,000-square-foot facility is scheduled to open in mid- to late 2012. The Breast Health Center at Florida Hospital Zephyrhills will be a top-notch state-of-the-art medical facility that will offer lifesaving services to both women and men for generations to come said Gene Whitfield, chairman of the Florida Hospital Zephyrhills Foundation Board of Trustees.

Among those helping to knock down the wall were Whitfield; Doug Duffield, FHZ’s president and chief executive officer; Vonnie Mickelson, executive director of the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce; Wilton Simpson, Republican candidate for the state Senate seat for the 11th District; and Dr. Kimberly Apple, a general surgeon at FHZ.

In April, the Foundation’s Board unanimously approved releasing funds for the construction of the first phase of the BHC. “This is a positive and visible sign that we will soon be able to unveil this new service to our community. The BHC is now becoming a tangible reality and we couldn’t be more pleased about this important step in the building process,” Whitfield said.

The venue will make a significant difference to breast cancer patients because all of FHZ’s breast health services will be together, close to home and under one roof. Doctors from various disciplines – ranging from surgeons and radiologists to oncologists ­– will all have offices in the center.

This will enhance the treatment of breast cancer patient, Duffield said. Patients currently have to visit doctors at other locations for their initial diagnosis, for follow-ups after surgery, and for other reasons. Having all breast health services under one roof will mean patients don’t need to travel to different locations to receive care, Duffield said.

“I am very excited about the BHC program,” said Apple. “It’s going to really improve the quality and the coordination of the care that we are able to provide.”

She noted she has seen more cases of breast cancer in east Pasco County in the last few years. Breast cancer is more common in older women who are a significant demographic in east Pasco. Also, more women are now taking steps to detect breast cancer in its earliest stages than in the past.

“This is a wonderful project … very much needed for our community. All aspects of the breast care program – radiology, surgery and oncology – come together under the BHC,” said Dr. David Rippe, a radiologist at FHZ.

The Grandview Medical Tower on the FHZ campus at 7030 Gall Blvd. is being remodeled to make room for the Breast Health Center.

There are currently many “naming opportunities” for people or organizations to name rooms at the BHC in honor of or in memory of family members who have had breast cancer. The “naming opportunities” are very obtainable and the levels of contribution may easily be reached according to Carolyn Sentelik, the foundation’s executive director. “We would like to definitely put names on a lot of rooms,” Sentelik said. Information about “naming opportunities” may be obtained by calling Sentelik at (813) 783-6144 or e-mailing her at .

Established in 1985, FHZ has experienced more than 35 additions or renovations, growing to a present day capacity of 154 beds, 450,000-square-foot full-service healthcare facility.

Pasco works to prepare for major disasters

By Kyle LoJacono

Hurricane Katrina caused mass devastation when it smashed into New Orleans in 2005, and mismanagement of the aftermath may have added to the disaster.

Pasco’s Office of Emergency Management is preparing for the day the county is dealing with its own Katrina so recovery could happen faster.

“We don’t want Pasco County to be in the same situation in New Orleans,” said Assistant County Administrator Michele Baker.

Baker said both Katrina, which made landfall as a Category 3 storm, and Hurricane Charley, which hit Punta Gorda as a Category 4 in 2004, have put emphasis on disaster planning. In fact, Charley was originally projected to hit the Tampa Bay area, but turned and hit south at the last minute.

“When you look at the date, we are overdue for a big storm,” Baker said. “It’s just a matter of time before a big one hits close to home.”

Baker said the focus of the county’s planning involves how to get people out of the danger zone.

“New Orleans did not have a good evacuation plan,” Baker said. “That was clear by what happened at the Superdome. There were other problems too. They didn’t have any real post-disaster plan in place. That’s one reason the relief aid took so long to get there and redevelopment has taken so long.”

The department had planned to begin including the extension of Ridge Road to help get people from central Pasco to the Suncoast Parkway for quicker evacuation north.

However, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers put a stop to the project late last year because of environmental concerns. The job would have taken Ridge west to connect with the Suncoast and US 41.

“That project was only designed to help with evacuation during a storm,” said county Commissioner Pat Mulieri. “It would have been a limited access road, so no development along it. We’re still working to try and build it, but the Army Corps’ ruling has slowed the process greatly.”

In addition to evacuation, the new plan will include how to quickly and safely resume services after a disaster.

“This is an extremely important part of the plan,” said County Administrator John Gallagher.

Gallagher added the county is working to secure a federal grant to help lay out how to resume such services as garbage pickup, water and electricity.

Pasco is vulnerable to a variety of disasters, not just hurricanes and tropical storms, according to County Planner Smita Ambadi. It is especially vulnerable to flooding, as a quarter of the county’s roads are in floodplains.

There have also been two confirmed tornadoes in Pasco during the last three years, storms which are especially dangerous to those living in the 43,000 mobile homes within the county. Ambadi said the plan will include where to temporarily house if those displaced by a disaster.

Additionally, the plan will include how to clear rubble and open hospitals and schools.

Commissioner Jack Mariano said the new plan will allow for smoother recovery, but would also allow the local government to maintain more control during the cleanup.

Ambadi said the county will host several public meetings during October and November, where county commission will ask for residents and business input and involvement.

For more information on the county’s Office of Emergency Management or a detailed evacuation map, visit www.pascoemergencymanagement.com.

 

By Kyle LoJacono

Hillsborough County’s Health Department is the latest in a long line of government agencies feeling the brunt of budget cuts handed out by the state Legislature and Gov. Rick Scott.

The department will close six of its nine clinics, including the north Hillsborough site at 9827 N. Sheldon Road, and lay off 114 employees to meet its budget for 2012, according to agency spokesman Steve Huard.

The reductions are part of a larger goal to cut $22.3 million the Legislature spends on county health boards throughout Florida. The health department is under the jurisdiction of the state, not Hillsborough County.

Huard said most of the clients from the six closing locations are Medicaid recipients. The majority of those will be transferred to a pair of nonprofit healthcare providers — Suncoast Community Health Centers and Tampa Bay Family Health Centers. Both companies are federally qualified to care for low-income patients.

Last year, state lawmakers required the Florida Department of Health to review all operations to cut costs. The state agency decided it was best to eliminate 1,608 jobs from several county branches while shifting patients into private companies.

Charles Bottoms, CEO of Tampa Bay Family Health Centers, said his nonprofit can provide care less expensively than either the state or county.

“One reason is that our workers don’t get big benefits packages offered by the state,” Bottoms said. “We’re a nonprofit, so we keep our costs down wherever we can.”

A total of 114 doctors, nurses and other workers currently work at the six closing locations. Huard said those employees will not be transferred to the remaining three health department sites. However, he added many will be hired by the two nonprofit groups receiving a large number of the department’s former clients to help handle the increased demand.

“Those who wanted to come on board with us were offered positions,” Bottoms said.

Huard did say it is “very unlikely” all the workers would get jobs at the two nonprofits.

The six closing facilities mainly provided pediatric and maternal care.

“Those patients will notice a few changes in care or providers after the transition,” Huard said. “What we’ve been working toward is people coming in and seeing the same provider at the same location, and they really shouldn’t see a great change in their services.”

For additional information on the Hillsborough Health Department, visit www.hillscountyhealth.org or call (813) 307-8000 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

 

Locations closing

–North Hillsborough Health Center, 9827 N. Sheldon Road in Tampa

–University Area Health Center, 13601 N. 22nd St. in Tampa

–Sulphur Springs Health Center, 8605 N. Mitchell Ave. in Tampa

–Floyd Kelton Health Center, 4704-B W. Montgomery Ave. in Tampa

–Joyce Ely Health Center, 205 14th Ave. S.E. in Ruskin

–Plant City Health Center, 302 N. Michigan Ave. in Plant City

 

Sites staying open

–Hargrett Building Health Center, 2002 E. 26th Ave. in Tampa

–Downtown Health Center, 1105 E. Kennedy Blvd. in Tampa

–TB Clinic, 8515 N. Mitchell Ave. in Tampa

 

By B.C. Manion

The air was charged with a sense of excitement as children and adults gathered under a big tent last week at a site on Sunlake Boulevard to celebrate the groundbreaking of Imagine School at Land O’ Lakes.

“Welcome to what we thought would never happen,” said Principal Kathy Helean, recounting efforts that began in 2005 to create a charter school and build a home for it.

“It’s a glorious day, isn’t it?” said another speaker, Rod Sasse, executive vice president for Imagine Schools in Florida.

Helean compared the school’s efforts to create a school, find a site and line up a contractor to the children’s story, “The Little Engine That Could.”

“In the beginning, there was only the idea of having students with a seat on this train. The engine was filled with our school’s governing board, a few parents and Imagine.”

“Once we got our charter approved by the school board of Pasco County, we started loading children on this train. We still hadn’t found a permanent home.

“Imagine (at) Land O’ Lakes opened in 2008, with 424 students on board, and teachers, parents and community members supporting – as we continued searching for a place for our school.

“Parents started telling other parents about Imagine and more students got onto the Imagine train, but still we needed to get these students into a permanent school building.

“We had several locations appear promising, but they didn’t work out. Some families became disheartened, but most decided to stay on the train.”

“And then we found Sunlake Boulevard and we found Ryan (Companies US Inc.); it seemed too good to be true, but we hoped this would be the one. This is the one, we made it,” she said, to an enthusiastic crowd.

It took four tries to find a site that would work, Helean said. The others did not work out because of traffic issues.

Imagine at Land O’ Lakes is a publicly funded charter school, operating under the authority of Pasco County Schools. Students are selected for the school through a lottery process.

Helean said she began writing the charter application for Imagine Land O’ Lakes in 2005 because she believed “all families deserve to have a choice in their child’s education.”

At Imagine at Land O’ Lakes, “the philosophy is that the parent is the one that knows the child best. We’re here to assist the parent.

“We focus not only on academics, but on character development and parent involvement.”

The school has a 95 percent re-enrollment rate.

The new 43,000-square-foot school will have a capacity for 728 students, but it is only authorized currently for 584 under its charter agreement with the school district.

The school will have 38 classrooms and a 6,000-square-foot multipurpose room, for lunch, gym and other activities. The site has ample play spaces, including a 1.2-acre play field.

Amanda Battistoni, president of the school’s board, said the new school “gives parents the security of knowing we are a permanent fixture in this community. We’re not leaving.”

Besides helping children who attend Imagine, the school also lessens the potential for overcrowding at other area schools, Battistoni said.

Pasco County Commissioner Pat Mulieri was among the dignitaries attending the July 29 groundbreaking ceremony.

The commissioner, a former professor at Pasco-Hernando Community College, said she had visited Imagine and liked what she saw there.

The school has a child-centered curriculum, Mulieri said. “I was also impressed with the joy of learning on the children’s faces.”

As an educator, she’s pleased that Imagine is getting a beautiful new facility, Mulieri said.

“As a commissioner, I am delighted to see jobs in Pasco County. I’m delighted to see a new building come in.”

Liska Garcia Rovi, who teaches middle school Spanish at the school, she’s excited about the notion of having a permanent school home.

“Right now, we’re in an office building and there’s a little bit more separation between one thing and another,” she said.

Christine Gegan, whose 7-year-old son, Quintin, attends the school, said she’s happy that families attending the school will have a place “to plant our feet and solidify the children’s education. Being in the temporary building, it felt a little uncertain.”

Gegan said she’s thrill with the education her son is receiving.

Students work with teachers in clusters, working with the same teachers for three years, Gegan said.

The teachers really get to know the children.

“They focus on each individual child,” Gegan said. “The families that go there are just a delight. There’s a real sense of community. Most of the parents that go there want to be involved with their children’s education.”

By Kyle LoJacono

The Pasco Commission unanimously approved an outright ban of panhandling on all county roadways, except on Sundays.

The 5-0 vote came on July 26. The ban prevents people from asking for money or selling anything, and it includes nonprofit groups. The Sunday exemption was put in place as a compromise for those who sell newspapers roadside.

“We didn’t want those people to lose their part-time jobs,” said Commission Chairwoman Ann Hildebrand. “Something like 200 people could have been out of work if we didn’t have the exemption.”

Commissioners say the ban is needed as a safety measure to try and reduce the risk of panhandlers and those hawking products from being hit or causing accidents.

“With social media today and the distractions of drivers, I think we’re trying to look out for the safety of citizens,” said Commissioner Ted Schrader.

Assistant County Attorney Kristi Wooden said the commissioners were given data showing traffic is 45 percent less heavy on Sundays versus the rest of the week.

“That really eased my mind on voting for it,” said Commissioner Pat Mulieri.

The ban does not bar everyone from the roadside as long as they do not ask drivers for money. It does not prevent people from giving out fliers or holding signs for businesses, commonly known as sign spinning or twirling.

Pasco is one of several county and city governments that have recently put some type of ban on panhandling. Both Hillsborough County and the city of St. Petersburg have passed outright bans without the Sunday exemption.

New Port Richey also banned panhandling in May. That city ordinance states it is, “unlawful for panhandlers to express implied threats of physical injury or property damage, attempt to maintain extended contact after receiving a negative response or impede a person’s movement.”

The Tampa City Council narrowly voted against a similar ban and is planning several workshops to further discuss the issue. It is scheduled to have more discussion about passing a ban at its Sept. 8 meeting.

Additionally, Zephyrhills City Manager Jim Drumm and Dade City City Manger William Poe Jr. say they expect to discuss a possible ban later this summer in the east Pasco municipalities.

Several Pasco citizens voiced their concern of seeing an increased number of panhandlers during the last few years. However, Devon Dougherty, assistant pastor at Victorious Life Church in Wesley Chapel, cautioned against the tactic of pushing the needy away.

“We do not find (the ban) to be addressing the situation of the homeless population,” Devon Dougherty said. He then added, “This is just sweeping the problem under the rug.”

Mulieri also did not like the fact that the ban prevents charities and civic groups like firefighters, Rotary clubs or the Knights of Columbus from collecting funds six days a week.

“If you’re going to take a stand, you have to take a stand,” Mulieri said to members attending the commission meeting representing such charities. After the vote she acknowledged the likelihood of the county being challenged legally on the new ordinance.

Language in the new ordinance protects the ban if the Sunday exemption is overturned on the legal grounds of it being selective enforcement, according to Wooden.

“If that happens, the ban would stay as a seven-day ban,” Wooden said. “The only two options are for it to be a six or seven day ban.”

Pasco has 10 days to submit the new ordinance to the state after its passage. The ban will go into place after that date.