MONTICELLO – Longtime Sullivan County E-911 Coordinator Alex Rau has been named the county’s EMS coordinator by the county legislature.
County Legislature Chairman Luis Alvarez called Rau “a top-notch professional and this county is very lucky to have his services and experience.”
Legislator Terri Ward, chairwoman of the Public Safety Committee, said she “always felt he was the perfect person for this job.”
Rau has been the county’s E-911 coordinator for the past 13 year. The Liberty native first became involved in emergency response in high school, sparked by a CPR class among others.
At 16, he joined the Town of Liberty Volunteer Ambulance Corps, eventually becoming its president. He also signed up with the Livingston Manor Volunteer Ambulance Corps, answering more than250 calls a year. He became a volunteer EMT in 1992, then a certified paramedic in 1995, employed by Hudson Valley Ambulance.
From 1996 to 2001, Rau served as one of the county’s deputy EMS coordinators under Don Hopkins, responsible for the towns of Fallsburg, Liberty and Neversink.
As EMS coordinator, Rau will have the authority and responsibility provide the leadership, support, education and cooperation necessary to enable local EMS agencies to give the best emergency medical care possible.
He replaces the late Greg Tavormina, who retired in December.
