Sunstar Paramedics

Over the last week, Sunstar Paramedics had the privilege of hosting two ambulance tours for the Arc Tampa Bay Foundation.

The Arc Tampa Bay has spent more than 60 years supporting and empowering individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities through residential services, vocational training, day programs, ABA therapy, and advocacy efforts that promote inclusion and independence throughout our community.

These tours provided an opportunity to help bridge the gap between emergency medical services and the individuals we serve. By exploring the ambulance, meeting our crews, and learning what to expect when EMS arrives, participants were able to become more comfortable with both the environment and the people who may respond during an emergency.

Following the tours, we had the opportunity to enjoy refreshments, fellowship, and conversation together. These moments allowed us to build meaningful connections beyond the ambulance and learn more about the incredible individuals and staff who make The Arc Tampa Bay such a special organization.

Thank you to The Arc Tampa Bay Foundation for allowing us to be part of your summer journey!

Yesterday, Safety & Risk Coordinator Mike Dvorack and Clinical Manager Shelby Papa had the privilege of teaching three lifesaving skills to members of Bankers Insurance Group in Downtown St. Petersburg.

Participants learned:
❤️ Hands-Only CPR
💉 Naloxone Administration
🩹 Bleeding Control Techniques

These simple but critical skills empower community members to take action during emergencies and help save lives before first responders arrive.

Thank you to Bankers Insurance Group for partnering with us and investing in the health and safety of your employees and community.

Together, we are building a more prepared and stronger Pinellas County.

🚑🏆 Sunstar Paramedics Earns National Recognition for Excellence in Emergency Care! 🏆🚑

Sunstar Paramedics is proud to receive the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline EMS Gold Recognition and the Mission: Lifeline System of Care Target: Heart Attack Distinction, two of the highest honors in emergency medical services.

These awards recognize our commitment to delivering rapid, evidence-based care for patients experiencing heart attacks, strokes, and other critical emergencies. This achievement reflects the dedication of our field clinicians, Communications Center personnel, educators, leadership team, quality improvement staff, and healthcare partners across Pinellas County.

More than 5,000 patient encounters contributed to the performance data behind this recognition, highlighting the teamwork and clinical excellence that help save lives every day.

Thank you to our entire Sunstar team and hospital partners for their unwavering commitment to providing the highest standard of care to our community. Together, we are strengthening the chain of survival and improving outcomes for the patients we serve.

☀️ Some days remind us exactly why we do what we do.

On a warm Florida day, Sunstar Paramedics had the honor of joining our community partner, St. Petersburg Fire Rescue, for a truly meaningful patient reunification and celebration of teamwork. ❤️🚑🔥

When a patient suddenly became weak while in a sauna, the rapid response and clinical expertise of PM David Aponte, EMT Rayna Williams, EMT Antoni Soboleky, and St. Petersburg Fire Rescue personnel led to the early recognition of a myocardial infarction (heart attack). 🫀

Through a thorough assessment, timely interventions, and safe transport, the patient received definitive care—resulting in a full recovery, no lasting effects, and a continued high quality of life. 🙌

Today, that patient and their family had the opportunity to reconnect with the crews who helped make that outcome possible. Gratitude was shared, stories were exchanged, and heartfelt embraces reminded us all of the impact of compassionate, professional care. 🤗💙

We are incredibly proud of our clinicians who make a difference every single day, and deeply grateful for our partnership with St. Petersburg Fire Rescue as we continue serving our community together. 🚒🚑❤️

These moments warm our hearts, too. ✨

Isaac Stephens was selected for EMD Professional of the Year in recognition of his
consistent professionalism, reliability, and excellence in call taking within our communications center.

Throughout 2025, Isaac handled a high volume of emergency calls while maintaining composure and clarity. His ability to remain calm during stressful situations ensures callers receive clear instructions and that responding units receive accurate and timely information.

Quality assurance reviews of Isaac's performance reflect his commitment to excellence. In 2025, Isaac achieved 83% high compliance and 11% compliance across all reviewed calls, resulting in a call taker cumulative performance value of 9.42, which significantly exceeds our agency's cumulative performance value of 8.93. This level of performance demonstrates Isaac’s consistent attention to detail and a remarkable dedication to high protocol compliance.

In addition to Isaac’s benchmark performance, he ranked among our top three call takers in overall call volume for 2025, demonstrating both high productivity and reliability in support of our daily operations.

While many telecommunicators are recognized for a single extraordinary call, Isaac’s professionalism and consistent excellence are on display across every shift. His compassion, discipline, and commitment to patient care strengthen the quality of service that our communications center provides to the community.

From everyone at Sunstar and the community, thank you for your dedication and professionalism. Congratulations Isaac on this award.

On a crisp April 16th morning, an incredible display of teamwork, professionalism, and clinical excellence came to life as East Lake Fire Rescue, Mease Countryside Hospital, and Sunstar Paramedics joined together for a dynamic and highly specialized patient care training. 🤝🏥

At the heart of exceptional emergency medicine is one critical element—seamless continuity of care. From the first 9-1-1 response to the moment a patient is safely transferred into the hands of hospital clinicians, every decision, every conversation, and every action matters. 💙

During this training, our teams worked through one of the more complex transfer-of-care scenarios involving a patient experiencing symptomatic bradycardia (a dangerously low heart rate) ❤️⬇️.

These situations demand precise assessment, clear communication, critical thinking, and a unified approach between pre-hospital providers and hospital staff.

Whether caring for patients experiencing respiratory distress 😮‍💨, stroke-like symptoms 🧠, cardiac emergencies ❤️, or other life-threatening conditions, training like this allows us to sharpen our clinical skills, strengthen interagency relationships, and continue building the trust that our community depends on.
Exercises like these are more than training scenarios—they are investments in patient outcomes, provider excellence, and the future of collaborative medicine. 💪✨
A heartfelt thank you to our valued community partners East Lake Fire Rescue and Mease Countryside Hospital for opening their doors, sharing their expertise, and standing beside us in our shared mission of delivering the highest standard of care. Together, we continue to learn, grow, and serve. 🙏🚨🏥

🚑 Keeping our youngest passengers safe—right here in our community!

Sunstar Paramedics is partnering with Safe Kids Coalition of Pinellas County and the Largo Target to provide free car seat checks today.

Certified technicians are on-site ensuring car seats are properly installed and fitted as well as providing information regarding passenger safety, helping reduce risk and protect children on every ride. It’s all part of our ongoing commitment to injury prevention and keeping families safe across Pinellas County.

On May 30, 2026, Sunstar Paramedics had the honor of joining HCA Florida Largo Hospital to recognize two of our team members for an outstanding job! 👏🚑

Through strong partnership and hands-on collaboration, we were able to help mitigate delays during a high-volume period. As we all know, hospital and EMS demand can be overwhelming at times—but teamwork made the difference. 💪

In this instance, a bed delay was quickly resolved by sharing responsibility in the patient transfer of care. This seamless coordination became the catalyst for improved flow, allowing more patients to be transported and receive care at their facility of choice. 🏥✨

A huge thank you to PM John Cummings and EMT Shyla Mielich for stepping up, leading by example, and helping turn a busy day into a smoother one for Sunstar and our community partners. 🙌

Training is the ticket—and sometimes, it’s the reason we get to celebrate moments like this. 🚑❤️

Yesterday, Sunstar had the absolute privilege of reuniting with a patient whose story truly came full circle. Just six weeks before his cardiac emergency, one of his sons learned how to recognize the signs of a heart attack. That knowledge made all the difference—and became a powerful link in the chain of survival.

Because of quick thinking, compassionate care, and outstanding teamwork between our fire department partners, Sunstar Paramedics, and HCA Northside, this patient is now recovering and back with the people who matter most.

There were smiles, stories, a few laughs, and definitely some heartfelt moments. These are the days that remind us why we train, why we serve, and why we show up for our community every single day.

We’re incredibly grateful for our partnership with HCA Northside—and even more grateful to be part of moments that turn into second chances.