There’s a new EMA director in the county | January 17, 2024
There’s a new EMA director in the county
Jan 17, 2024
Flanked by her administrative assistant and the 9-1-1 director is the new Emergency Management Agency director, Jessica Dodson-Pierce, who accepted the position in December 2023 following the retirement of Rita Spicer. From left: Karen Williams, Jessica Dodson-Pierce, and Sherry Emmert.
Photo by Doug Clifford
NEW LEXINGTON—While Perry County has a new Emergency Management Agency (EMA) director as of Dec. 2, 2023, she is not new to Perry County. Jessica Dodson-Pierce was the EMA administrative assistant/grant coordinator for the former EMA director, Rita Spicer, prior to being promoted to her new position.
Dodson-Pierce began her career in the Perry County EMA office on May 24, 2021. Her first big assignment as the administrative assistant was to coordinate a mock crash scenario on July 2, 2021, just ahead of the Fourth of July holiday. The event was the result of a grant received by Perry County EMA. The mock crash event had multiple fire departments, emergency crews, and law enforcement involved as well as several civilian volunteers.
“That was my first event and it came pretty quick,” chuckled Dodson-Pierce as she recalled the experience.
To prepare for her career choice, Dodson-Pierce studied course work through the National Institute Management System as well as training through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. However, Perry County’s new EMA director credits her predecessor as being the biggest influence in her confidence to assume her new role.
“I had a great teacher,” said Dodson-Pierce of former director Spicer.
So far Dodson-Pierce has not been faced with a major emergency, but she says the pace has been busy for her first month in the job. Whenever a change occurs in an office setting, reorganization to meet the personal standards of the newcomer is usually a top priority.
Dodson-Pierce’s first act in reorganizing the EMA office to her liking was to hire Karen Williams on Dec. 4 as her administrative assistant/grant coordinator. An important part of the day-to-day duties for both Dodson-Pierce and Williams is the constant work involving grants.
Williams had worked in various roles in the area including time at Fairview Assisted Living and the EMA office building. Dodson-Pierce calls Williams her “right-hand woman” because she has been a quick study in her new position.
With a Don’t Drink and Drive event already slated on the calendar, Williams has been busy coordinating the affair which is slated to take place at Champs Restaurant in Thornville. A full-scale mock disaster is also on the 2024 calendar with a HazMat incident slated to take place at Crooksville High School on April 27.
Another person working closely in the EMA office has been an invaluable asset, according to Dodson-Pierce. That person would be 9-1-1 Director Sherry Emmert. In her current position since March of 2023, Emmert brings an abundance of career experience to her new role. Dodson-Pierce says Emmert has created a very positive atmosphere in the 9-1-1 department.
Emmert served as a dispatcher for Perry County from 2016 to 2023, and says that she “loved dispatching for Perry County.” Emmert says a 9-1-1 dispatcher does more than just answer the phone. They must have the training it takes to advise the caller what actions should be taken ahead of an emergency squad’s arrival.
“State law requires us to have two dispatchers on duty 24 hours a day, 365 days a year,” explained Williams. “It can be quiet as a mouse for seven hours on a shift and the last hour can be chaos,” Emmert added.
Dodson-Pierce was just informed by the Perry County Commissioners that she is now the flood plain director for the county, so her new position is bringing new challenges all the time. Emmert’s evaluation of the new Perry County Emergency Management Agency director was glowing.
“Jessica is handling the job like a champ!” stated the 9-1-1 director. The dedication and experience Jessica Dodson-Pierce brings to the office on a daily basis combined with her time serving under former EMA Director Rita Spicer, is a great recipe for maintaining the safety of Perry County citizens regardless of the emergency situation.
