As director of the Highlands County EMS, Steve Plunkett Coltharp could work strictly as an administrator. ...more

February 2, 2009

In response to numerous calls for help in dealing with mosquitoes, the Highlands County Extension Office will begin giving out free briquettes of a bacteria that kills mosquitoes in the water in their larval stage, before they can grow into adults and fly. ...more

September 5, 2008

SEBRING — Like every paramedic who's served 30-plus years, Mickey Byrd has dealt with critical life-and-death situations and has more than a few gripping stories. One of his in particular, about a terminal teenage patient whom he says "surely must be an angel," puts a lump in the throat of anybody with a functional heart. ...more

May 5, 2008

There are few county services more instrumental in saving lives than its EMS force ––and just like a fire department –– every second counts. Understanding how crucial it is to dispatch an ambulance as quickly as possible, and considering how our population balloons in the winter, our EMS officials have made some needed changes to make sure that everyone gets served on time. ...more

December 31, 2007

SEBRING — In 2008, one of Highlands County's 13 volunteer fire departments will become the first to merge with the county's Emergency Medical Service. Steve Plunkett Coltharp, the acting EMS director, thinks picking the Lake Placid Volunteer Department is both the cheapest and best way to go. "This is a first step," said Coltharp, a 22-year EMS veteran. Whether Lake Placid or one of the 12 other volunteer fire departments is chosen, one fire department will be the first with full-time, certified paramedics serving on its fire trucks at all times. ...more

December 28, 2007