EMA highlights AEP-supported special operations unit; dispatch and highway give routine reports
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Summary
EMA Director Bob Jackson described a new special operations unit equipped with PPE purchased with an AEP Foundation donation; Central Dispatch, IT, and Highway departments reported staffing levels, call volumes, equipment upgrades, and bridge work planned for federal-aid consideration.
Department heads reported routine operational updates during the Jan. 5 Grant County commissioners meeting.
EMA Director Bob Jackson thanked American Electric Power and introduced Rob Kiesling (AEP external affairs) while outlining a special operations unit formed with EMA, EMS and the health department. Jackson said a donation from the AEP Foundation funded personal protective equipment, including powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs), enabling a unit to respond to high-risk incidents and transport infectious patients without taking ambulances out of service. Jackson noted coordination with the District 6 Healthcare Coalition for mutual aid across 13 counties.
Public Safety Director Kevin Hicks provided dispatch staffing numbers (17 dispatchers, including trainees, plus five part-timers) and December 2025 call volumes: 2,385 911 calls and 9,284 total calls; he said year-end statistics for 2025 will be presented at the next meeting.
IT Director Marcus Elliott said new video systems for the courts and a new system in the jail are installed, and vendor work on Superior Court 2 is expected to finish immediately. Highway Superintendent David White described recent snow/ice removal, installation of a structure on County Road 900 West that will be classified as a bridge and inspected within 30 days, ongoing box-structure work pending fiber relocation, and plans to present Bridge 712 to NDOT for federal aid.
Commissioners asked a few clarifying questions and thanked staff for the reports.