Rick Plunkett, Forsyth's fire administrator since 2005, left his office for the last time yesterday after working 37 years for the county.
At the same time, county officials said that the county fire department that Plunkett led would be consolidated with the department of emergency-medical services to become one new emergency-services department. The department will be led by Dan Ozimek, who was EMS director until the reorganization was announced.
"The two departments work so closely together that it just makes sense," said County Manager Dudley Watts.
Plunkett is one of 36 county employees taking advantage of an offer to retire and collect an extra $20,000. Plunkett is 54 and thinks he may have kept on working another year or so, but found the county's recent offer hard to resist.
County officials have been looking for ways to cut costs in light of a tight budget and declining sales-tax revenues. This spring, county officials decided to look at each departmental vacancy as it arises and look for ways to reorganize and cut costs.
Ozimek said that other counties have already consolidated their fire and emergency-medical services departments. Both Ozimek and Plunkett noted how often the two departments have to work together anyway.
"We have worked together for years, and it goes back to the generations before Rick and me in developing a sound framework for how the response system works in Forsyth County," Ozimek said.
Plunkett was 13 or 14 years old when he became a junior firefighter in Rural Hall, where he still lives. By the time he was 16, he was actively helping to fight fires. He got an associate degree in fire-and-safety engineering in 1974 and worked part time for the county fire department.
After a year as a firefighter in Myrtle Beach, S.C., Plunkett was back with the Forsyth County Fire Department. He worked his way through communications and firefighting positions until 1977, when he became assistant fire marshal.
In 2001 Plunkett advanced to deputy fire marshal and in 2005 became administrator of the department.
The department includes a firefighting unit, fire inspectors and investigators. It also includes the county's 911 emergency communicators, who are also becoming part of the new department led by Ozimek.
Plunkett cited efforts working with volunteer departments and with the EMS among accomplishments that he is proud of. He noted that all but one of the volunteer departments now have paid staff, which he has encouraged as a way to improve response time.
In the 911 center, Plunkett worked with other officials to equip dispatchers with the technology to see where all the county's EMS units are at a given time, so the closest unit can respond.
Plunkett was making about $82,500 a year when he retired. Ozimek is making about $88,600 a year, but his salary in his new position has not yet been determined.
Plunkett is one of only two department heads retiring under the county's policy. Carol Gearhart, the county's director of human resources, is leaving in October.
"It was a very difficult decision for me to make, and I imagine it was for most people," Gearhart said. "I have enjoyed all my years with the county, and I will miss it."
Ozimek said he's counting on key fire personnel to help him learn his new job.
Plunkett said he'll be around if Ozimek needs to call him for help, but hasn't developed any big retirement plans yet. Plunkett has a wife, Brenda, whom he married in 1980, and a son, Scott.
"I will make a couple trips to the beach," Plunkett said.
■ Wesley Young can be reached at 727-7369 or at wyoung@wsjournal.com.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement