America's Mayor Visits Pinellas County SheriffPhoto/Text by Renee Burrell
America's Mayor Rudy Giuliani (right) surveyed the county's disaster preparedness vehicles Friday with state Attorney General Bill McCollum (left), and Pinellas County Sheriff Jim Coats (center) LARGO- Presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani visited the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office Friday to view its new emergency response technology, including a mobile crime lab, an armored vehicle, and a deployable radio system. Giuliani made the stop before heading on to the Renaissance Vinoy Hotel in St. Petersburg to give a speech for this year's Reagan Day Dinner. "I think it is great that a presidential candidate takes the time to see firsthand public safety's ability to respond to natural disasters---civil disorders and terrorist related events. Mayor Giuliani was particularly impressed with Pinellas County's public safety agencies advanced technologies ability to communicate with one another," said Pinellas County Sheriff Jim Coats The former Associate Attorney General during the Reagan administration and former New York City (NYC) mayor said concerning 9-11-01, "For me every day is an anniversary of Sept. 11. . .If we don't talk about Sept. 11, you can't prepare to try to avoid another Sept. 11." As a two term New York City Mayor, Giuliani cut crime in half and reduced murders by two thirds, prompting the FBI to proclaim NYC the safest large city in America. Giuliani has also earned praise for controlling spending and cutting wasteful government programs, eventually turning a $2.3 billion city budget deficit into a multibillion surplus. Did you know? The National September 11 Memorial and Museum began its National Tour of Tribute Exhibition in Columbia, South Carolina recently. The tour's mission is to include all Americans in building the Memorial at Ground Zero and to raise awareness, funds and support for the Memorial, which will honor the nearly 3,000 men and women who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. In a ceremony at Columbia's Finlay Park, first responders and family members who lost loved ones on 9/11 were among the first to sign a steel beam made by Owen Steel that will be used in the construction of the Memorial and Museum. The exhibition also features photographs, artifacts and a short film from the point of view of families, responders, survivors, volunteers and everyday people who came together in the aftermath of the attacks. In August 2006, heavy construction work began to build the footings that will hold up the Memorial, Museum, and Plaza. Late this year, steel is expected to begin to rise at the site. Funds raised through the touring exhibition will go directly towards construction and planning for the Memorial and Museum. The Memorial and Museum has raised $300 million towards its private fundraising goal of $350 million. This figure includes funds to support capital and planning costs, as well as an initial endowment to support operations once the Memorial and Museum opens. For more information on the tour and tour stops, visit the Memorial and Museum's website, www.national911memorial.org. At the time of this printing, no Florida city has been scheduled. New locations and dates will be posted on the Web site as they are scheduled.
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