Chautauqua County Emergency Services Director Julius Leone is set to retire at the end of October. Leone began his career with the county on March 2, 2002, and said the job itself has been “fun.” P-J photo by Eric Tichy

For 15 years, Julius Leone has served as director of emergency services for Chautauqua County.

A lot has gone on and many things have changed since he took the post in 2002, but Leone says his time has been both a challenge and a blessing.

Leone, a Fredonia resident, is set to retire from his position Oct. 27. Beginning his career with the county March 2, 2002, Leone spent much of his time working closely with the emergency services network from fire companies and law enforcement to ambulance service and local hospitals.

“The job itself has been fun,” Leone said as he looked back at his career. “We’re really blessed in the fact that we have really good people that work for our department. Most of our fire coordinators here are part-time and they’re willing to share their talents with us in the county. From that perspective, we’re really lucky and it’s been a pleasure working with those folks.”

The emergency services network is an extensive one with 42 fire departments, eight police departments, four hospitals, Alstar EMS and Starflight. Adding to that mix in August will be the county’s new fly-car program. Three vehicles with paramedics will be stationed throughout the county to assist local volunteer companies and Alstar EMS with emergency calls. Leone said the county has worked hard to bring the program to fruition.

“We’re really excited to work in conjunction with commercial service and volunteers to really improve response times and get the appropriate level of care to someone in a time of need,” he said. “I think ultimately, we’re going to be able to make a difference in the outcome for the patient.”

Challenges developed for Leone during his tenure as director from the Mason Building fire in Dunkirk in February 2010 to a March 2016 train derailment in Ripley. Specifically, he noted the 2009 flooding that wreaked havoc in the north county in Silver Creek, which extended into Cattaraugus County to the village of Gowanda. Leone said getting people in the Silver Creek area back into their homes fast and obtaining disaster funding was no easy task given the devastation. After spending four to six months in the area, Leone said he believes they succeeded in getting things back to normal.

“It was a long process to get the federal declaration, but it finally came through for the people that really needed it,” he said. “Working in Silver Creek every day along with Hanover and the surrounding area to help those folks made it all worthwhile.”

Leone said a lot has changed through the years in terms of funding the county receives and training requirements for first responders. He said the change began soon after 9/11 as the federal government, along with the state and county, began to examine how responders should be trained along with other things.

“We receive a lot more funding from the federal government I think since the Civil Defense days of the Cold War,” he said. “It’s given us the opportunity to really increase some of the technology that we have and some of the equipment we have to respond with.”

In his time, Leone has worked with emergency officials to provide specialized teams from technical rescue and hazardous materials to water emergency and critical incident stress management. Leone has also been working with the County Fire Advisory Board and Sheriff’s Office to implement a new trunked radio system.

Leone is president of the Fredonia Fire Department’s Lambert Hook and Ladder Company. He serves as first vice president of the New York State Association of Chiefs. Leone said he will continue to serve in both roles once he retires. Come next year, Leone will look to serve as president of the state Chiefs Association.

County Executive Vince Horrigan commended Leone for his service to residents in Chautauqua County. Horrigan is in the process of finding a replacement with help from a bipartisan search committee.

“He has been essential in coordinating our county’s preparation, response and recovery efforts so operations run as smoothly as they possibly can during an emergency,” Horrigan said.