Three federal airport security officers from Tampa International Airport and one from St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport will be among 300 Transportation Security Administration officers assisting the Secret Service to screen attendees at the Presidential inauguration in Washington today. ...more

January 20, 2009

With a possible Category 1 hurricane trekking toward the Tampa Bay area, this is the time to get plans in place for Fido's safety, officials say. ...more

August 16, 2008

Pinellas sheriff's authorities have arrested a man in one burglary and say he is a suspect in dozens of others in the Tampa Bay area. Matthew Samuel Stratis, 39, of 6834 Lassen Ave., New Port Richey, was charged with burglary, possession of burglary tools and three counts of resisting arrest. He was booked into the Pinellas County Jail this morning. ...more

August 6, 2008

Hillsborough County Animal Services and local preparedness group C.H.A.A.R.T. will hold a pet-friendly hurricane drill on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Sickles High School in Tampa's Citrus Park neighborhood. Participants are asked to bring their own bottled water and dress casually for the exercise. Formal animal handling experience is preferable but not required. ...more

June 6, 2008

LAND O' LAKES - The county's pet-friendly evacuation shelter at Pine View Middle School is opening its doors to a broader area this year. ...more

June 1, 2008

TAMPA - As another hurricane season looms, Hillsborough County needs to do more to provide shelter for people and their pets, Commissioner Rose Ferlita told a group that works to improve disaster plans for agriculture interests and animals. ...more

May 12, 2008

Florida wildlife officers will wait until next week to speak with a Bushnell man who was in critical condition after he was bitten by a pet cobra. ...more

May 3, 2008

TAMPA - Florida wildlife officers will wait until next week to speak with a Bushnell man who was left in critical condition after he was bitten by a pet cobra. ...more

May 2, 2008

SEBRING — Over the summer months, 11 children and two adults became lost among the spacious area that is the Sun 'n Lake of Sebring's Preserve. A faster emergency response system with vehicles that could easily prowl the land became something district officials deemed necessary, so they purchased three four-wheeler ATVs in October. "(The vehicles) can be used for a number of things," said Sam Henderson, Sun 'n Lake's director of public safety. "The main thing is that they will help out our response time during emergency situations." Over the last few weeks, the district organized its own Rural Rescue Response Team, featuring firefighters to man the vehicle. Henderson estimated that Sun 'n Lake has more than 3,000 acres of wooded land that sit behind its residential area and are popular with bikers and hikers. ...more

December 10, 2007

TAMPA - The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office was awarded a $1 million federal grant to buy video surveillance cameras to be mounted in high crime neighborhoods and other equipment. The grant also will cover training and buy cameras for jails. ...more

October 30, 2007