Florida Public Health Oral History Project

Interviewee

Bill Tennant

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Interviewer

Prather, E. Charlton

Publication Date

3-10-2016

Date

1997-09-22

Abstract

Billy Tennant (1918 – 2007) was a longtime director of environmental health for Escambia Country. In this oral history interview, Tennant recalls his career in environmental health and the development of environmental health programs in the state of Florida. Tennant recounts his environmental health training at the University of Florida and the issues he encountered during his directorship of the environmental health program of Escambia County. He describes how he managed sanitary issues such as mosquito and rodent control, unpasteurized milk, and sewage treatment systems. Tennant highlights several programs he implemented, including the establishment of a registration board for sanitarians, standardized training for food handlers, and mandatory plumbing inspections. He also explains how he navigated city, county, and state governments to promote environmental health in Florida. He concludes the interview with a discussion of his career after retiring from the health department.

Keywords

Environmental Health, Escambia County (Fla.), Health officers, Public Health, University of South Florida

Holding Location

University of South Florida

Language

English

Media Type

Oral histories, Online audio

Format

Audio

Identifier

C53-00034

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Rights Statement

In Copyright