Ulster County emergency services director to retire

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KINGSTON – After a 35-year career of serving Ulster County, Director of Emergency Services Steve Peterson has announced his intention to retire.

“During his tenure, Steve spearheaded numerous improvements to our public safety, most notably he oversaw the completion of the Public Safety Training Center which will positively impact future generations of first responders,” said County Executive Patrick Ryan. “His work on behalf of the county will be surely missed and I wish him all the best as he enters the next phase of his life.”

Peterson said his career was capped by the completion of the Public Safety Training Center. The new facility is over 5,200 square feet, featuring 13 burn rooms and five forced entry doors. The training center, completed in May of 2020, provides additional hands-on training equipment that had previously been unavailable in the county.

“In addition, we recently received a $6 million grant from New York State that will improve radio communications throughout the county in support of first responders,” said Peterson.

The retiring director started with the county as a part-time emergency services dispatcher in April of 1985 and became a full-time employee three years later.

He was promoted to a senior emergency services dispatcher in July of 1992 and promoted to the position of deputy director of Emergency Communications/Emergency Management in January of 2011 before becoming director in July of 2014.

In 2003, Peterson was awarded the New York State EMS Communication Specialist of the Year Award in recognition of his life saving actions.




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