Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Award:

Garrett County Emergency Management received this award for the outstanding response that was provided when tornadoes swept through several Western Maryland and adjacent Pennsylvania area on May 31st and June 2nd, 1998.

MIEMSS Director's Excellence in EMS Award:
This award was for the response to the Finzel, Maryland Interstate 68 crash on May 23, 2003. Through teamwork and efforts of the agency in the response to the massive crash scene that involved 40 separate collisions, 80 vehicles and 70 injured patients.

 EM-1 Public Safety/Emergency Management Director: Brad Frantz

Brad has served in public safety with Garrett County government since the beginning of 1975 as a Police Dispatcher with the Garrett County Sheriffs Department. In 1977, he transferred to the newly created 9-1-1 Center as a call-taker. He became Director of Civil Defense in 1980 and when Civil Defense merged with 9-1-1 in 1984 he became Director of Emergency Management. He is currently the longest tenured Emergency Management Director in the State of Maryland.

He is involved with numerous public safety committees including:
Local Emergency Planning Committee-Chairman
Emergency Services Board, Vice-Chair
Emergency Medical Services Council
Garrett Co. Fire and Rescue Association
Health Department Emergency Planning Committee
Traffic Advisory Committee
Maryland Central Alarm Advisory Committee
Maryland Emergency Number Association
National Emergency Number Association
Maryland Emergency Management Association
Animal Issues Committee-Chairman

EM-2 Public Safety Assistant Director:Stephen Smith

Steve has been working for Garrett County Public Safety Division of Communications since 2004. Prior to that, he was a dispatcher in Somerset County, PA and in Virginia. He has taken the lead in two on-going projects for the public safety community, doing data entry for the accountability system and the Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) System. In addition to being an APCO certified EMD provider and APCO Certified EMD Instructor, he is also a firefighter II/EMT-B/Haz-Mat Tech; and is the Captain of the Grantsville Fire Department.

CD-3: Drew Sheally

Drew was hired in 1985 and years of experience in public safety for Garrett County. He is APCO Certified as an Emergency Medical Dispatcher and over the years has provided a wide range of EMD instruction to the citizens of Garrett County. Drew received two awards in the past through Garrett County Fire and Rescue Communications. The first was given to him for providing pre-arrival instructions in the delivery of a child on January 10, 1988. The second award that he had received was from the Maryland Emergency Number Association, and Emergency Systems Board.

CD-4: Mike Saunders

Mike has served Garrett County and its citizens in this capacity since 1987. He is APCO Emergency Medical Dispatcher certified and a firefighter/EMT. He serves as secretary for the Oakland Volunteer Fire Department. Mike received two awards while working for Fire and Rescue Communications. Both awards that he had received were for implementing the EMD protocol that resulted in the successful resuscitation of a 2 year old child.

CD-6: Byron Miller

Byron was hired as a 9-1-1 Dispatcher in 1990. He is APCO certified in EMD, is an EMT ,and a past member on Northern Garrett Rescue Squad. Byron received the Maryland Emergency Number Association and Emergency Systems Board award for Garrett County.

CD-8:

Justin Orendorf

Justin became a member of the Department of Public Safety Communications Division in August of 2009. He is a APCO EMD provider. Justin is a firefighter/EMT and serves as the current Assistant Chief with the Northern Garrett Rescue Squad at the McHenry Station.

CD-10: Kenny Collins

Ken has been with the Garrett County Public Safety Division of Communications since 2003. He is an APCO EMD certified provider, a firefighter/EMT and is a member with the Deer Park Volunteer Fire Department and is current Chief. Kenny received an award from the Maryland Emergency Number Association and Emergency Systems Board.

CD-11 Josh Sines

Josh became a member of Garrett County Public Safety Communications division in 2007. In addition of being APCO EMD certified and a firefighter/first responder, Josh is a member and current Assistant Chief of the Friendsville Volunteer Fire Department.

 Intern: Nick Crabtree

Nick is a graduate of Southern High School, a member of the Emergency Services Club, and a member of the Oakland Volunteer Fire Department. His college, and career plans are majoring in Homeland Security, and Emergency Services. He will be working on a number of projects which include but not limited to the Public Safety website and the Public Safety Newsletter.