Taylor

Blair County’s director of the Department of Emergency Services — comprising Emergency Management and the 911 Center — has retired after 11 years in the role.

Mark Taylor was head of the 911 Center when, in 2015, Dan Boyles, his counterpart as head of Emergency Management, retired, after which Taylor took over leadership of the entire department, according to Cris Frederickson, who prior to Taylor’s retirement was operations and training coordinator for Emergency Management.

With Taylor’s retirement as public safety director Feb. 1, leadership in the department will revert to co-equal heads of the departmental divisions that existed before Taylor’s elevation in 2015: with Frederickson leading Emergency Management and Emily States leading the 911 Center, after having served prior to Taylor’s retirement as interim 911 coordinator.

Taylor suggested these post-retirement changes, said Fredrickson, speaking after a meeting Thursday of the Local Emergency Planning Committee.

His preference was based on confidence that Fredrickson and States could handle the leadership roles in their respective divisions, Fredrickson said.

Some details of the reorganization hadn’t been confirmed, including her new title, as of Thursday morning, Fredrickson said.

The elimination of the overall departmental leadership position that Taylor occupied will save the county money, Fredrickson agreed.

Fredrickson will be moving from hourly wages — at $26-plus — to salary, with presumably a bump, due to the additional responsibility, she said.

States and Fredrickson work well together, States told the committee members.

Members applauded the pair upon the announcement of their new role.

The LEPC “is responsible for the emergency planning of facilities within the county which use, store or manufacture hazardous materials and are regulated under the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) of 1986 and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA),” according to a note on the county website.

Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.