A new Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon is now in use on Orange Blossom Trail just south of Osceola Parkway to help pedestrians cross safer near Victory Charter School. (Photo/FDOT)
New FDOT Pedestrian beacon on OBT at Victory Charter
The Florida Department of Transportation has activated a new Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon (PHB) recently installed on North Orange Blossom near Victory Charter School in Kissimmee, about a block south of Osceola Parkway.
FDOT says PHBs are designed to enhance safety by helping pedestrians cross the road safely and by increasing drivers’ awareness of pedestrians.
PHBs remain dark until a pedestrian activates the beacon by pushing a button on the signal pole. Once activated, the PHB alerts drivers to slow down by flashing yellow and then turning solid yellow. The beacon will then turn solid red, instructing motorists to stop and allow pedestrians to cross the street. The beacon will then flash red, instructing drivers to proceed with caution if the roadway is clear of pedestrians.
The Federal Highway Administration notes that PHBs results in a 29% reduction in total crashes at the signaled crossings and a 55% reduction in pedestrian crashes.
To learn more about PHBs, visit https://alerttodayflorida.com/Pedestrian.
St. Cloud Chamber seeks volunteers for parade
As the Dec. 6 St. Cloud Christmas Parade draws near, the Chamber needs some help with one of the premier events in St. Cloud. Those willing to help with Barricade & Crowd Management can go online to register at: bit.ly/4oFjh97.
HCA Poinciana Hospital earns national recognition
HCA Florida Poinciana Hospital has been recognized in a number of clinical categories by Healthgrades, a healthcare industry insider website, which has announced its 2026 recipients.
The Poinciana facility is a Healthgrades Five-Star Recipient for treatment of heart failure for four years in a row (20232026); Five-Star Recipient for hip fracture treatment for a seventh year (2020-2026); Five-Star Recipient for gallbladder surgery for the seventh year in a row (2020–2026); Five-Star Recipient for treatment of diabetic hospitalizations for the fourth consecutive year (2023– 2026); and Five-Star Recipient of treatment of sepsis and treatment of respiratory failure in 2026.
“These national recognitions highlight our team’s ongoing dedication to delivering exceptional care close to home,” said Cullen Brown, CEO of HCA Florida Poinciana Hospital. “Our commitment to clinical excellence and patient-centered care drives us to continually improve and serve our growing community with compassion and expertise.”
Per Healthgrades, the ratings are based on patient outcomes. Each year, Healthgrades evaluates risk-adjusted mortality and complication rates for more than 30 common conditions and procedures at approximately 4,500 hospitals nationwide to identify the top Healthgrades’ 2026 analysis revealed that if all hospitals, as a group, performed similarly to five-star hospitals during the 2022-2024 study period, on average, 230,466 lives could have been saved and 156,797 complications could have been avoided, based on Healthgrades’ analysis of data from those years.
