Lucas County honors long-serving EMS leaders Dennis Cole and Vicki Schmidt

The Lucas County Board of Commissioners on April 29 honored Dennis Cole and Vicki Schmidt for decades of work in emergency services, praising both for institutional knowledge, mentorship and steady leadership during major incidents.

Deputy County Administrator Matthew Hyraman, who introduced the presentations, said the pair “have done that for over a generation in our community.” He described Cole’s and Schmidt’s roles as central to bringing new employees into county service and mentoring them: “They do not make people like Vicky anymore. Period. End of story,” Hyraman said.

The board and departmental leaders recounted the retirees’ careers. Dennis Cole served more than 25 years as Lucas County director of emergency services, leading through multiple reorganizations of 9‑1‑1 and EMS and coordinating emergency operations for floods, the Toledo water crisis, tornadoes and the COVID‑19 response. The board said Cole oversaw a transfer of EMS responsibilities back to local fire departments and helped pass levies that sustained 9‑1‑1 services.

Cole, addressing the commissioners, described his work as a team effort: “There’s no day was boring and there’s a great group of people…It doesn’t fall on me, it falls on the team.” He said change — including technology upgrades and the siren program — has been a recurring challenge and project during his tenure.

Vicki Schmidt joined Lucas County after work with the Regional Emergency Medical Services of Northwest Ohio. Speakers credited her with long service managing personnel, payroll, vendor contracts and EMS transport billing while serving as a daily resource to coworkers. Schmidt said she was “kind of emotional” and called the career “very rewarding.”

Outside agency leaders also spoke. Doug Meyer, president of the Lucas County Fire Chiefs Association and Waterville fire chief, thanked Cole for guiding the county through the transition of EMS duties to local departments and for working with chiefs on radio and paging issues. Joe Walter, former Toledo assistant fire chief, recalled Cole’s attention to staff needs and said Cole was an effective and fair leader.

The board presented certificates and a ceremonial Lucas County frog as tokens of appreciation and invited staff for photographs. Commissioners and department leaders repeatedly emphasized the retirees’ mentorship roles and the ways their administrative work — payroll, contracts and operations coordination — supported front‑line responders and public safety.

The commissioners’ remarks closed with expressions of thanks and good wishes for Cole’s and Schmidt’s retirements.