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One heroic firefighter, 3,000 geeks, one final plea

By ERNEST HOOPER
Published June 11, 2007

From Las Vegas to Vero Beach, people are quenching their thirst with a Firehouse Subs cup that features Hillsborough Fire Rescue's Sean VanAtter.

Between sips, they learn that VanAtter pulled five people from a burning vehicle.

The national chain, with 274 locations, portrays a gritty-looking VanAtter on a 24-ounce cup as one of its Firehouse Heroes.

In 2002, he and tanker driver Aaron Madir rescued the Lacagnina family, after another vehicle pushed the family's Saturn into the tanker's path. A 4-year-old boy died in the crash. A gas tank ruptured and caught fire. But two preschoolers and their parents survived.

VanAtter seems proud but humble.

"My two kids really enjoy seeing their dad on the cup, " he said. "They dig it."

If you think VanAtter deserves a higher honor for saving a family, don't worry. He received the Public Safety Medal of Valor from President Bush.

More than 3, 000 members of the International Nortel Networks Users Association arrive in Tampa today for a four-day confab at the convention center.

Geeks have money. Let's all pull out our pocket protectors and show them some serious Tampa Bay love. ...

Seen on a T-shirt at the University of South Florida: Nobody cares about your blog.

Brandon's Philip Barrett camped out four days to see host Bob Barker tape his final appearance on The Price Is Right last week. He just had to hear Barker say one last time, "Have your pets spayed and neutered."

I don't know. If you ask me, having a trademark tagline is kind of silly.

That's all I'm saying.

[Last modified June 10, 2007, 23:38:40]