Iroquois County’s Emergency Telephone System Board will need to step up its efforts in finding a new coordinator.

Following the August retirement of former coordinator Nita Dubble, assistant coordinator Sandy Drake is stepping aside. She’ll begin a new position in mid-October.

Dubble’s 30 plus years experience, coupled with Drake’s 10 years in the emergency position, finds a relatively inexperienced board of directors getting its own wheels in motion.

Sheriff Derek Hagen is the acting-coordinator, having been appointed following Dubble’s retirement. Hagen says the tele-communicators are well-trained and well-versed in their own responsibilities. The coordinator role—he points out---requires equipment knowledge and a rapport with all emergency responders.....fire, police, ambulance and others. Supervisory know-how, he said, is a must.

Hagen says the coordinator is the face of ETSB. “It’s a people-person skill.”

The 9-1-1 or ETSB Board has also been forced to re-organize. Experienced members, frustrated with the politicking of the County Board over the last several years, also walked away.

Newest ETSB members include Warren Weber, Joel Moore and Joe Young (all three fire and ambulance responders). Also on the Board is Watseka Police Chief Jeremy Douglas and Charlie Alt, representing the county board.

94.1 WGFA