Reorganization Brings EMS Under New Management

Whomever Fayette County hires as its new EMS director will report to the County’s Emergency Management Coordinator, Craig Moreau. That’s a change from the prior arrangement. Previously, the EMS director reported directly to the County Judge.

“The Emergency Management Coordinator works for me, but we’re going to take some time to look at doing some reorganization. We do some things really good in this county, but I think we’re a little stovepiped.”

The county emergency management department’s responsibilities involves coordinating with the federal Homeland Security Department, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, volunteer fire departments, law enforcement, emergency medical services and other state and federal agencies. Weber said the reorganization is aimed at making sure all of those agencies work in concert during an emergency.

“That’s not to say it’s working great,” Weber said. “I think it is working great, but it has the chance of being better.

“The other thing we’re looking at is to try to create an organization that has some upward mobility,” Weber said. “You could come in as a young EMT and maybe go to a paramedic, captain, assistant director and maybe some time go to the director position. In order to do that, we’ll run some of that through the emergency management coordinator.”

The County will take applications for the EMS director job through June 9. So far, Weber said “about three or four” people have applied so far. Weber said the County could consider hiring a director from within the department.

“There’s some people in the department right now whom I hope will apply,” Weber said. “We’ve got some good, qualified people.”

Weber said he would consult with the EMS’s medical director, Dr. Allyson Borgstedte, along with others before making the hire, but the decision would ultimately be his. Several people voiced concerns to the Record over the last few weeks that the County’s emergency management reorganization might also involve consolidating the county’s 10 volunteer fire departments under the emergency management coordinator (EMC).

“Absolutely not, that’s not true,” Weber told the Record. “I envision the fire departments coordinating with the emergency management coordinator, which they do right now. We have good relationships. The volunteer fire departments would not be working for me or the EMC, but they would be coordinating with us.”