Sunstar Paramedics launches countywide safety campaign for Pinellas

“Stay Alert, Stay Alive” focuses on keeping residents safe, on the road and in daily life

(May 1, 2014) -- Seeing preventable accidents every day compelled Sunstar Paramedics to launch a new public safety campaign – Stay Alert, Stay Alive – focused on keeping the residents of Pinellas County safe, both on the road and in daily life.

Stay Alert aims to reduce the number of pedestrian and car accidents along with general emergency situations in several ways – primarily with prevention tips, safety resources, traffic information, and common-sense reminders via Facebook, Twitter, and Sunstar’s website.

“As the 9-1-1 ambulance provider for Pinellas, the community often looks to us for information on local safety,” said Charlene Cobb, Community Outreach Coordinator with Sunstar. “We constantly see incidents first-hand that are easily preventable and want to help provide our neighbors with knowledge and reminders about how to avoid these emergency situations.”

Stay Alert will spread awareness about common dangers that can happen anywhere – in the home, at the beach, or on the road – and how to avoid them.

As part of the initial Stay Alert launch:

·       New billboards will be going up in Pinellas, with focus on the most dangerous crash intersections in the county.

·       Stay Alert will be incorporated into Sunstar’s public events with take-home information and products. Sunstar will feature a Stay Alert “road show” for schools and others, providing relevant and timely safety information.

·       A regular flow of information and resources will be provided on Stay Alert’s Facebook and Twitter pages and on Sunstar’s website, including (as a few examples): tips for teen drivers, what to watch out for when buying toys, and child passenger safety assistance.

·       Useful Stay Alert items / safety gear, such as armband reflectors, will be given out to promote safety practices.

·       Sunstar is connecting with other organizations, locally and nationally, that have similar missions.

·       Additional planned Stay Alert initiatives include how-to videos, partner events, public service announcements, and Stay Alert focused speaking engagements.

“As the Tampa Bay region continues to rank high nationally as a dangerous place for walkers and bikers, Sunstar is committed to enhancing safety awareness and practices in the community,” said Mark Postma, Chief Operating Officer with Sunstar.

About Sunstar Paramedics:

Sunstar is the 9-1-1 ambulance transport service for all Pinellas County residents, employing 550 local residents, and responding to around 500 calls a day. Highly awarded and accredited, Sunstar utilizes state-of-the-art equipment and software, and (along with parent company Paramedics Plus) is an innovator of the industry’s best practices. Sunstar’s employees are heavily involved in Pinellas communities, focusing largely on public safety programs for the public and for schools. More information is available at SunstarEMS.com.

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