What to know in Manatee: Emergency drone program, Breonte Johnson-Davis rally, baby boxes
Manatee County is set to begin the first pilot program in the nation for emergency drone operations aimed at responding quickly to time-sensitive medical incidents such as cardiac arrest and opioid overdose.
County commissioners approved the pilot program during a public meeting on Tuesday, where community members also gathered to call for a special program to address mental health and drug addiction needs in memory of the death of Breonte Johnson-Davis last year.
Commissioners also approved a pilot program for a baby box to intake abandoned children, received updates from the county about steps to address dust from new development, and appointed a new human resources director.
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Emergency drone pilot program set to begin in Manatee County
Commissioners unanimously approved a new pilot program to help emergency responders quickly reach victims of cardiac arrest or drug overdose.
The program is operated by Archer First Response Systems in partnership with Tampa General Hospital and Manatee County Public Safety. CEO Gordon Folks said sudden cardiac arrest impacts more than 350,000 U.S. residents annually, and only 10% survive. In 2023, about 112,000 people died from opioid overdoses nationwide.
The drones would transport an automated external defibrillator for cardiac arrest, NARCAN nasal spray to counteract opioid overdoses, and a tourniquet for any injuries.
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"There is an opportunity here, given that all of these situations are extremely time-sensitive," Folks said. "The time to treatment is correlated with the clinical outcomes of all of these emergencies. For example, a sudden cardiac arrest, every minute a victim goes without defibrillation is a 10% likelihood of fatality, so every second matters."
The system will be installed at the Manatee County EMS Lakewood Ranch station and provide coverage in a radius of 3.5 square miles during daytime hours Monday through Friday starting on May 1. Phase 2 of the pilot program will expand the radius to 35 square miles and operate 24/7.
Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge advocated for the expansion of the program to West Manatee County and Anna Maria Island.
Residents organize in response to death of Breonte Johnson-Davis
Manatee County residents rallied on Tuesday to raise support for the implementation of a Community Assistance and Life Liason program throughout Manatee County in response to the death of 36-year-old Breonte Johnson-Davis.
Johnson-Davis died in November after being forcefully apprehended by the Palmetto Police Department during a mental health and drug overdose episode and transported to Manatee Memorial Hospital.
An investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement exonerated the officers involved, but a separate Bradenton Police Department investigation is still ongoing. No further information about the BPD investigation is publicly available.
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Many of those residents, including Johnson-Davis' mother Tracey Washington, addressed County Commissioners during the meeting to ask commissioners to implement the CALL program, which has already been implemented in St. Petersburg and Tampa.
"It would reduce police involvement in non-criminal and non-violent calls for service," Washington said. "It would reduce repeat calls for services from police by the same person by providing support and long-term service connections. It would provide a more compassionate approach to the community, and it would free our officers, and it will also save a life. If this program was implemented here in Manatee County, I feel as if though Breonte would still be alive today."
Manatee County set to implement Safe Haven Baby Box program
Manatee County is moving forward with the implementation of a Safe Haven Baby Box program to intake abandoned children at an emergency medical service station.
Commissioners unanimously approved an interlocal agreement with the city of Bradenton to place a baby box at the Bradenton Fire Department. The agreement must also be approved at a future Bradenton city meeting.
The boxes would trigger an alarm to 9-1-1 dispatchers and at the location of the box to indicate that an infant has been placed into the box. The box locks immediately after being closed. EMS Director Jodie Fiske estimates that a $20,500 to $22,500 cost per unit.
Development clearing causes dusty situation in Manatee County
County officials are responding to high levels of dust caused by development clearing in recent months with an emphasis on enforcement of county rules.
Contractors will be required to submit dust control plans that limit site clearing to 100 acres or less, wind-break treatments, a seeding and sodding plan, and watering plans during dry conditions as well as other site-specific dust control measures.
Enforcement plans include a warning for a first offense, a fine for a second offense, and a work stoppage and requirement of a new dust control plan if a third offense is committed.
Manatee County names new Human Resources Director
Kate Barnett has been hired as Director of Human Resources after serving for 10 months in the role in an interim basis.
She has worked for Manatee County for three years, starting as a temporary employee working as a staffing lead during the county's COVID-19 project. She served as human resources support in two departments until she was hired as a full-time talent acquisition specialist and then promoted to serve as employee services manager.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Manatee County implements emergency drone and baby box pilot programs
