Morgan
Lucille Morgan has been hired as Luzerne County’s emergency services director to oversee the newly merged 911 department and Emergency Management Agency, county Operational Services Division Head Jennifer Pecora announced Tuesday night.
The starting salary will be $92,000.
Pecora informed county council of the hiring in an email. Interviews for the position concluded Monday afternoon, and the panelists “felt she was the best candidate for the position based on her experience, qualifications and passion for emergency services,” the communication said.
Interview panelists included Pecora, county District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce, county Chief Solicitor Harry W. Skene and county Human Resources Director Jessica Beishline, it said.
Council voted in November to consolidate 911 and EMA to improve safety and security and possibly yield savings, with the administration pointing out Luzerne County is only one of three counties in Pennsylvania that have separate 911 and EMA departments.
A veteran county EMA worker, Morgan has been serving as acting 911 executive director since Fred Rosencrans left for other employment the end of July. EMA Deputy Director Dave Elmore has been overseeing EMA since Morgan’s interim assignment at 911.
The emergency services director position was posted at $90,000 to $92,000, and applications were due Jan. 19. Minimum qualifications included at least a decade of experience in 911, emergency management or emergency services.
The director must be able to perform in a high-stress environment and off site in all types of weather conditions and be on-call at all times for emergencies, the posting said.
Located in Hanover Township, the 911 center provides police, fire and emergency medical dispatching for 175 agencies throughout the county. Based on Water Street in Wilkes-Barre, EMA must coordinate resources to prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies within the county, including floods and other weather-related disasters and a nuclear power plant disaster.
Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.
