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Auburn, Nov. 26, 2002 --- In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks last September, most Americans reeled in the wake of the resulting confusion and chaos. When several people died of anthrax inhalation in the following weeks, hysteria reached a new high. All over America, people scrambled desperately to design plans, systems and ways to respond if biological warfare broke out.

But in Birmingham, Ala., Glenn Phillips was quietly and calmly tweaking a system already in place. It was not long before he had made sure all the hospitals in the Birmingham metropolitan area had a bioterrorism alert system.

Six years ago, Phillips, a former Alabama 4-Her and current president of Forte’ Incorporated, developed a computer networking system called LifeTrac. An engineer with a degree from Auburn University, Phillips started Forte’ in 1991. In 1997, emergency medical technicians in the Birmingham area asked him to create a system to quickly and efficiently route trauma victims to the nearest hospital that could take them.

Phillips and his staff did. The result was LifeTrac, which currently links 13 hospitals in the six-county Birmingham metropolitan area, which is home to about 50 percent of the state’s population.

Three years later, Phillips and the Forte’ staff added more capabilities, this time to assist stroke patients. This year they upgraded the system to include a bioterrorism alert.

"The system was originally created for trauma patients," Phillips said. "With this system, if someone is severely injured in a car accident, all the EMT has to do is call the computer and find out which hospital has room for the patient and is best suited for that patient’s injuries. Before, the EMT just took the patient to whichever hospital was closest."

Unfortunately, that hospital was often too busy to attend immediately to the victim or was not properly equipped or staffed for his or her injuries. Since LifeTrac has been implemented, it has been estimated that the mortality rate of severe trauma victims has been cut in half.

After the terrorist attacks, Phillips used the same idea to install a bioterrorism alert system. The computer system monitors the hospitals and alerts them if too many of them are seeing too many patients with the same complaints.

"It provides a very, very early warning system that lets hospitals and officials know if there is a problem," he says. "The system looks for things that are unusual. For instance, if too many hospitals have too many resources that are busy, it triggers an alert. Our system then gets more information from the hospitals to determine if this is just a routine case of something going around or if maybe biological or chemical warfare is to blame."

Phillip has been in contact with local, state and national officials about the bioterrorism alert system. The original LifeTrac is still the only system in the world of its kind. Phillips is hoping his system can serve as a model for others.

"We’ve spoken with people from state government, U. S. congressmen and senators, the U.S. Army and the Federal Emergency Management Administration," Phillips says. "They’ve all pointed out that we are way ahead of everybody with our system."

Phillips credits his experience as a 4-H’er as an aid in helping him reach the success he enjoys today. Growing up in tiny Bear Creek, Ala., Phillips says he noticed at a young age that 4-H could be exciting.

"We had a fantastic 4-H program," he says. "It was pretty common for our 4-H'ers to go to National Congress every year. I grew up thinking, ‘Whoa, look at what they’re doing.'"

Then he grew up and did it all himself.

Phillips was active in Marion County’s 4-H club programs for eight years, participating in public speaking, record book and electronic demonstration. He won first in the state in the electronic demonstration and electric record book categories, held a local office and served as a

county junior leader. He also served a stint as a state officer.

"I really enjoyed my time in 4-H," Phillips says. "I use the things I learned every day – the public speaking skills, the record book, the electronic demonstration. I speak to groups and give presentations, I keep records – everything I did in 4-H was great experience for me."

Phillips says 4-H provided opportunities for him he couldn’t have gotten any other way.

"For a kid growing up in rural Alabama, 4-H was a great way to see other parts of the country and meet new people," he says. "I traveled with 4-H to Washington D.C., North Carolina and Chicago. It was great to get out and see the world and realize that the rest of the world is not like rural Alabama. I made friends around the country. I wouldn’t trade it for anything."

Lisa Cunningham Murphy, Marion County Extension agent, remembers Phillips well.

"He was amazing," she says. "He participated in everything we offered. His knowledge base and how well he could relate with both kids and adults was really astounding. He was a leader in the county."

Phillips didn’t like the forms for the record book, so he made his own. His were so good they were copied and sent to every county in the state.

Murphy says he would usually leave information out of his demonstrations so the judges would be forced to ask him questions about it.

"He did that on purpose so he could talk about his demonstration with them," she says. "He was just like that. But he wasn’t just good at 4-H. He was very well-rounded. He was very musical. He was a special individual."

Phillips played the tuba in the Auburn University band and still plays in the school’s alumni marching band. He is also a freelance photographer, with his work appearing in numerous publications, including national magazines and sports media guides.

He was named "Businessperson of the Year" last year by the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce and was recognized by the Birmingham Business Journal as one of the city’s "Top 40 Under 40."

In addition to many other volunteer endeavors, he’s still active in 4-H, serving as a volunteer judge at the local and district levels.

"I am really thankful for my time in 4-H," he says. "It was a great experience for me. I’m still using so many of the things I learned in 4-H. I use them every day."