Administration
The county operates under a five-person Board of Commissioners and employs a full time County Manager.
The Sheriff’s Office employs 3 administrative assistants, 1 of which is assigned to the investigative unit, 1 being assigned to the administrative section of the department and the other works as the Sheriff’s secretary. The detention center employees 3 secretaries, 1 assigned to the Civil and Warrant Division, and the other two assigned to the Records Division of the Sheriff’s Office. The 911 Center is also assigned to the Sheriff’s Office control and it employs 8 communications officers, 2 sergeants, and 1 supervisor.
The department mans 18 patrol cars, all of which are equipped with radar and video cameras. A K-9 Task Force assists the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office in controlling illegal drugs within the county.
Dawson County Sheriff Department Web Site
Fire Protection
A full-time Fire Chief/EMA Director, full-time Assistant Chief currently administers the fire services. In addition, the county now has the first-time, part-time Fire Marshal assisting with the ever changing needs of the county. There are seven fire stations in addition to headquarters, with over 80 volunteer fire personnel. The county owns eight class “A” fire engines, seven tanker trucks, one 100-foot ladder truck, three Air/Light trucks and one dive team truck and boat. The fire insurance classification remains a 7/9 split with five-year goals to add more fire stations, personnel, and water distribution to reduce the ISO rating.
Emergency Medical Service
Dawson County EMS is comprised of twenty-four full time Paramedics, one full time Emergency Medical Technician Intermediate, nine part time Paramedics, and three part time Emergency Medical Technicians Intermediate. The EMS service is assisted by First Responders from the Fire Department. The County currently operates three full time ambulances on which employees work two 24-hour shifts per week. The EMS also has two back-up med units and two supervisors’ vehicles. Each ambulance is equipped with Advanced Life Support (ALS) equipment, which includes the latest in cardiac monitoring equipment—the 12-lead EKG machine. Supervisors’ vehicles and the back-up med unit are capable of ALS at a moment’s notice thanks to spare equipment kept for use in the event of disasters. All EMS vehicles are equipped with the most advanced communications equipment to ensure contact with hospitals and other agencies when needed. With the First Responder system and the fact that many EMS employees live in the county and will respond on emergency calls, the average response time for medically trained personnel to a call is at or slightly below one minute per mile.
