Among the most important roles of government is the responsibility to provide well-prepared emergency services for its citizens.  One of my very first (and best) decisions as your Judge/Executive was to appoint David Underwood as the County’s Emergency Management Director.  David is a retired Battalion Chief from the Elizabethtown Fire Department and is well respected throughout our community and Commonwealth in the field of emergency services.  His expertise and leadership is instrumental in guiding Hardin County’s preparations for responding to both manmade and natural disasters.  David has been a key catalyst for numerous preparedness exercises and training sessions throughout the county.  His leadership and expertise has allowed us to provide timely assistance to numerous families needing help as a result of natural disasters during the past four years.   

Early in this term I also created the county’s first Fire Service Advisory Board made up of nine citizen members from throughout the county.  The members of the board possess varied backgrounds including both emergency services and business.  They are community leaders who understand the needs of our county and possess the expertise to identify critical actions necessary to get the job done.  Their key role is to continuously evaluate the county’s fire service capabilities, identify and prioritize our needs, and make recommendations to Fiscal Court on how county government can best assist in meeting those needs.  The Fire Service Advisory Board provides excellent un-bias assessment of our fire service capabilities and is an invaluable asset to Hardin County Government!

During this term we have increased operational funding support for volunteer fire departments by 44%.  We have increased monthly allotments by 11% to $500 per month (plus an additional run volume differential) to each fire department providing service in Hardin County.  The county now pays vehicle insurance on up to five pieces of equipment for each volunteer department as well as assuming the payment of annual property and liability insurance premiums for each of the departments.  And just this year, we are proud to have assumed the responsibility of funding disability and accidental death insurance for all firefighters serving Hardin County.

There are times when leaders are required to make unpleasant but necessary decisions.  One of those this term was my decision to restructure the Stephensburg Volunteer Fire Department.  As a result of neglect and administrative mismanagement, the former Stephensburg Volunteer Fire Department had lost the confidence of most citizens in the Stephensburg fire district.  As a result, it became necessary for me to initiate actions from both Hardin County Government and through the Hardin Circuit Court to create an environment to foster the reorganization of Stephensburg’s fire department under new leadership.  This endeavor is well underway with the Stephensburg Volunteer Fire and Rescue, Inc.  The new service is well on its way with new organization, management, and training to insure the Stephensburg district is provided excellent fire protection services.

One of the most visible accomplishments we’ve made this term was the construction of a new Emergency Services Center for the county.  When expansion of Hardin Memorial Hospital required the destruction of our old ambulance service headquarters, I believed it was most efficient to provide a new complex that would not only serve as the ambulance service main station and administrative offices, but also be home to county’s Emergency Management Director, the County Coroner’s offices, and a potential site for the county’s enhanced 911 services.  The Hardin County Emergency Services Center, located at the intersection of Rineyville Road and Ring Road, went into operation in April of this year and was formally dedicated on May 21st, 2006.  It is a 16,00 square foot facility specifically designed to meet the operational and training needs of our emergency services in an efficient but not extravagant manner.  The Commonwealth’s best emergency services professionals now have a well-designed facility to help facilitate response to our county’s emergency needs.

In 2005 we embarked upon a long overdue upgrading of the communications systems used by county emergency responders.  To jump-start this endeavor, Hardin County Government secured $1,500,000 in capital funds to supplement funding from several grants the county has received, or is anticipating receiving.  This $2.5 million upgrade is being accomplished in three basic stages with the first being the required enhancements to tower service.  This phase, completed in May 2006, now provides Hardin County’s emergency services communications system coverage via five tower sites located throughout the county capable of relaying both analog and digital communications.  The second phase of the project will upgrade the county’s 911 dispatch consoles to enhance capabilities, coverage, and communications with responders in the field.  Finally, subscriber (radio) equipment will be upgraded for all county emergency responders including the Sheriff’s Department, Ambulance Service, and volunteer fire departments.  These enhancements will include both radios and vehicle repeaters to provide both analog and digital capabilities as needed.  The entire upgrade project is planned for completion later this year.