SUN CITY CENTER, Fla. — A Sun City Center resident proves when it comes to volunteering, there really is no age limit.


What You Need To Know


Dick Schneider is this week’s Everyday Hero.

We no sooner had arrived at the Sun City Center Emergency Squad when things started jumping.

The 100 percent volunteer squad serves about 22,000 people, providing basic life support emergency medical services around the clock.

Last year here, we met 92-year-old volunteer Mary Porterfield, an emergency medical responder.

Recently, we met 85-year-old assistant chief and maintenance chief Schneider, a very modest guy who in many ways keeps this place running.

“Just about anything that needs to be done, the building or the vehicles,” he said. “The vehicles, mostly. Every day something has to be repaired.”

Several years ago, Schneider researched and then suggested the squad purchase the AeroClave sanitizing system, becoming one of the first in Florida to do so.

“The ambulances themselves have AeroClave sanitizing systems. When we had a pandemic we did this thing,” he said. ”Sometimes five times a week when we had patients that we thought had COVID.

“And now a lot of agencies and hospitals are following suit. I had people from Long Island call me and ask how it was for ambulances.”

Volunteering seven days a week, Dick has been with the squad for 25 years.

And just how long does he plan on staying with the squad?

“As long as I can stand up and walk in here,” he said.