East Hudson Valley News

Dutchess County Commissioner of Emergency Response, Dana Smith, will step down after 18 years of service. His resignation will be effective on December 31, 2024. County Executive Sue Serino expressed gratitude for Smith's contributions, stating, “We appreciate the many contributions Dana Smith has made during his service with Dutchess County. His commitment to emergency preparedness is unwavering and he has helped to see our community through many emergencies over his tenure. We wish him much success in all of his future endeavors.”

Smith's tenure included managing responses to major weather events like Hurricane Irene and Hurricane Sandy. The Dutchess County Department of Emergency Response (DCER) coordinated with FEMA during these emergencies to assist residents.

Training was a priority under Smith's leadership, ensuring readiness for over 200,000 emergency calls handled annually by the Dutchess County 9-1-1 Communications Center. Thousands are trained each year at the Emergency Response campus in Hyde Park. This includes firefighters, EMS, law enforcement professionals, and volunteers. Training exercises range from Point of Distribution exercises to terrorism response simulations.

Citizen Preparedness Training was also emphasized, including specialized training for families with disabilities and animal emergency preparedness.

Dana Smith remarked on his departure: “Emergency preparedness has always been and will always be a passion for me. It has been a privilege to serve the people of Dutchess County as Emergency Response Commissioner. I am proud of the work we have done, together with community partners, to ensure the safety and security of Dutchess County residents and I look forward to moving on to new chapters.”

Deputy Commissioner Shawn Castano will assume the role of Interim Commissioner while a search committee is formed. This committee will include representatives from police, fire, and EMS communities to find a qualified successor.

County Executive Serino added: “Emergency response has been a top priority for my administration, and we remain committed to protecting public safety and enhancing emergency preparedness. I look forward to working with the search committee to identify the next leader for this important work.”