An Eagle Scout project turned into an Everyday Hero nomination for a Pinellas County teenager.
Parker Mitchell decided to create a backup communications system for Palm Harbor Fire Station 35. The 18-year-old is a licensed amateur radio operator.
“I decided since we have so many hurricanes in Florida, emergency communications would be a really good thing to do it on,” Parker said.
Parker convinced people to donate the equipment needed, about $4,000 worth. And then he built the radio station. The teenager found a volunteer to climb the fire station’s tower and install the antenna.
Fire Chief Craig Maciuba gave the project and Parker a thumbs up.
“It does provide us with those additional means of communication to the county EOC and other HAM radio operators that can give us information from the public should the 911 system fail,” Maciuba said.
Parker also trained the firefighters to pass the test to be licensed radio operators, which each firefighter did.