Officials to take part in ‘Active Shooter’ drill
ORANGE PARK – Officials from various Clay County agencies will join with Clay County School District officials June 21 for an active shooter training drill.
From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Ridgeview High School’s cafeteria will host the drill, which is being carried out by the Clay County Emergency Management department.
In past years, Clay County has been proactive in exercising these types of events, both in a table top environment, and well as with full scale exercises. In addition to testing and refining existing response and recovery plans dealing with the subject of a school active assailant, this exercise will help to solidify partnerships amongst current and new staff members across pertinent agencies.
As many of the operational specifics of response plans will be discussed in depth during this Table Top, we regret that neither the media, nor the public will be able to attend the exercise.
After the Active Assailant Table Top Exercise, the Florida Department of Health-Clay County will be conducting training for Clay County School District Administrators on how to properly stop a bleed in the event of an emergency. This training will be provided through the “Stop the Bleed” Initiative, which was designed and funded by the Department of Homeland Security following the 2012 tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary.
Much of the general public does not realize that uncontrolled blood loss lasting a mere five minutes can be fatal. This training will provide information on how to stop bleeding during an emergency. The Initiative is also providing each county school with at least one “Stop the Bleed” Kit.

Amateur radio operators to have ‘Field Day’
ORANGE PARK – Orange Park High will once again play host to the annual Field Day of the Clay County Amateur Radio Emergency Service this weekend.
On June 23 & 24, members of Clay County ARES, the Orange Park Amateur Radio Club, as well as amateur radio operators all around the United States, will demonstrate their communication capabilities at Annual Field Day. The public is encouraged to attend and learn about amateur radio. On June 23, the event is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on June 24. A total of eight introductory sessions on amateur radio will be held during the two-day Field Day event.
“The future of amateur radio is bright. Exciting changes and challenges continue for us to enjoy the hobby and contribute to society. This is evident in the growth of our Amateur Radio Emergency Service organizations here in Clay County, doubling membership and attendance in meetings and nets, supporting local organizations such as Florida Striders, responding during hurricanes Hermine, Matthew and Irma, providing communication support for the county emergency operations center and each shelter,” said Scott Roberts, assistant emergency coordinator and the public information officer for Clay ARES.
During Hurricane Irma, Clay County ARES members monitored their radios for over 1,350 hours, of which, 748 hours were spent manning communications in the County EOC and Clay County Shelters.
For a full schedule of events at Field Day, go to www.aresfieldday.info.

HCA honors Oakleaf resident
JACKSONVILLE – An Oakleaf woman will travel to Nashville Monday to receive an award for her humanitarian efforts from HCA, the parent company of Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville. Lorrie Sarver, director of the Memorial Hospital Emergency Room, is the winner of the Frist Humanitarian Award, the highest honor HCA bestows on its employees.
While a working hands-on ER nurse, Sarver’s work outside of the hospital is what’s gotten the attention of her co-workers. For years, Sarver spent her free time making her community a better place to live at her church and in Florida prisons.
In 2011, Sarver spearheaded the Angel Tree Project at her church, New Life Church in Jacksonville. She received a list of children’s names as well as some suggested gifts based on what the parent in prison picked out using a gift guide. Sarver and her team purchased the gifts and delivered them in the name of their parent during a Christmas celebration.
After Christmas that year, Sarver began coordinating monthly field trips, including trips to the zoo, cookouts, ice cream outings and more. Sarver also wrote letters to the parents and included pictures of their children. While Sarver was getting this program implemented, she also rearranged her schedule to teach middle-school aged students from broken homes how to excel in school. In 2015 Sarver worked with the Florida Board of Nursing to start a Certified Nursing Assistant program for 11th and 12th graders interested in entering the healthcare field.
But Sarver says her mission to give back goes beyond helping children and teens. She says parents in prison need a support system too. On the weekends, Sarver travels to prisons throughout the state through a Prison Fellowship program. Through church services and words of encouragement, Sarver says she tries to restore hope to those affected by crime and incarceration.
“This award honors one exceptional individual in the entire company whose work and life reflects humanitarian values upon which HCA was founded 50 years ago,” said Bradley S. Talbert, Memorial president and CEO. “The exemplary service and selflessness that Lorrie demonstrates in her life challenges and inspires us all to serve others and live our company’s mission of caring for and improving human life.”

City offers free swim lessons for summer 2018
GREEN COVE SPRINGS – The city is still accepting applications for its summer swimming lessons program.
Taught and completely supervised by Ponte Vedra Beach-based Planet Swim, the city is paying $14,400 for 72 students ages 5-12 who live in Green Cove Springs to learn how to swim in historic Spring Park pool.
Lessons began June 12 and will run until August 10 and are broken into two four-week sessions, with classes held twice a week. The first session runs from June 12 to July 5 and June 13 to July 11, with the option of taking classes either Tuesdays and Thursdays or Wednesdays and Fridays. The second session runs from July 10 to August 2 and July 18 to August 10, with the option of Tuesdays and Thursdays or Wednesdays and Fridays classes.
Parents can choose a 40-minute swim lesson time slot between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. for each of the two-day class schedules. Planet Swim will provide total supervision of students during class until they are back under the supervision of a parent or guardian.
This is the second year the city is offering swim lessons for free. Parks and Recreation Director Glee Glisson said the city initially decided to offer free swim lessons to fill a need in the Green Cove Springs community. Glisson took a poll of students attending Charles E. Bennett Elementary and found that 40 percent of students didn’t know how to swim.
Last summer, swim lessons were offered to children ages three and four for a few weeks. This year Glisson aimed to expand the age range and length of classes for free. The four-week sessions ensure that students will get more time in the water and will have a greater chance of remembering what they learned.
“We’ll be able to reach out to more people,” said Glisson. “Kids will be available because they’re out of school. Starting just before school last year limited the kids we could teach.”
Glisson said that the city will also try to accommodate anyone over age 12 or handicapped who is interested in getting swim lessons.
Lessons are offered on a first-come, first-serve basis. Any parents interested in signing up their children for swim lessons should contact Executive Assistant Kim Thomas at (904) 297-7054 or at kthomas@greencovesprings.com. Swim lesson applications are available at greencovesprings.com, and a completed application is required to register.