Ashland County Emergency Management Director Mark Rafeld retires after 15 years

ASHLAND - Mark Rafeld admits he probably will forget he isn't the county Emergency Management Agency director anymore when a major weather situation is brewing.

"My wife will tell you that I will be pacing back and forth looking out the window or standing out on the deck," Rafeld said with a laugh.

That's the way it has been the past 15 years for Rafeld, whose last day as EMA director was Friday, July 29, which included a going-away party at Brookside West Park.

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"I have to give credit to my wife and my family for allowing me to do what I do and put up with my quirky hours," said Rafeld, who said he is going to enjoy his retirement with family time, something that was often sacrificed, missing birthday parties and family gatherings or being on his laptop or phone during vacations.

Some of that family time will include what he did as an EMA director — helping out after bad weather. His only child, a daughter, and her husband in Worthington got hit with a storm that knocked down a big tree in their yard.

"So I have a lot of wood to cut up next week after I retire," Rafeld said last week.

But as a person who likes to stay busy, the 65-year-old Rafeld, who started the EMA job after 32 years with ODOT, doesn't rule out a third career eventually. Most likely it will be a part-time job or volunteering, he added.

As far as the future of the EMA position, longtime Commissioner Mike Welch said the county is leaning toward temporarily appointing the sheriff to handle EMA duties to give the commissioners time to find a replacement.

"One of the benefits of going with the sheriff is that it is already set up with wiring and a tower needed to facilitate the EMA office communication needs," Welch said.

While the county has received several applications for the position, Welch said, Rafeld will be a tough person to replace.

"Mark took the position to a new level and Ashland County is better for it," Welch said. "There were many challenges over the years for funding or a pandemic for a two-year period. Mark was an excellent communicator and worked well with other entities during a crisis event."

Rafeld pleased with the COVID operation in Ashland County

Rafeld said he is happy with how the COVID operation went in the county, working with the Health Department, University Hospitals Samaritan Medical Center and other organizations, individuals and volunteers.

"I think that really helped us pull together as a community," Rafeld said. "There was some negative feelings about COVID out there, but for the most part we had people wait in line for hours to get COVID shots and they were very patient and grateful that we provided that service."

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Seeing how well the community comes together in other emergency situations during his 15-year tenure was something he will really miss in retirement.

"I always knew that about this community," he said. "I'm an Ashland boy, born and raised, but to see it in action every day in some form for me is just amazing. It makes me proud of being from here."

That includes everyone from first responders to regular volunteers for the EMA, as well as the people who come out of the woodwork after a weather disaster or other emergency to do cleanup and bring food to shelters, Rafeld said.

Instituting a wireless emergency notification system, a social media presence on Facebook and Twitter and starting the Ashland County Amish Health and Safety Day with the Health Department a dozen years ago are a few other things Rafeld said he is most proud of during his time as the EMA director.

He plans to still take part in this year's Amish Health and Safety Day on Aug. 16 even though he will be retired. He still will be on the statewide Amish Collaborative Committee.

Being a member of another committee, the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), as the ODOT representative his last few years with ODOT, piqued his interest in the EMA job when it became available in 2007.

"That committee is housed in this office," Rafeld said from his EMA office at the County Service Center on state Route 60 just outside of Ashland. "My segue into this job was being a member of that committee, seeing what happens with the LEPC and wanting to be a part of that and seeing an opportunity that I could bring my skills to the table."

As an ODOT employee, Rafled also was called on for HAZMAT spills, closing roads due to weather and other emergency situations.

Helped make the Ashland County EMA director position a full-time job

He didn't want to be a part-time EMA director like it had been before he took the job. So he helped the county secure an emergency performance grant through the Ohio EMA to help fund the department.

"You can't do this job part time," Rafeld said. "When I started, it was 35 hours a week. That's what they have posted for the new person. There were many weeks I put in 60 hours a week or more than that. We probably worked 80-hour weeks in this office during COVID.

"There's always something happening," he added. "You have to build relationships with first responders and others who make this department work. We've come a long way from where we started."

A few years ago, the county hired an office administrator part time. Before that, a volunteer did the job.

Other accomplishments for which Rafeld is proud include handling the county's mitigation emergency operation and HAZMAT plans; buying new bomb squad equipment and fire safety gear for the county through grant money; and improving health-care evacuation plans for nursing homes for things like fires through the Ashland County Health Coaltion.

While he won't be able to see it through, Rafeld helped get the ball rolling for upgrading the county's warning sirens — some of the sirens go back to the World War II era.

Rafeld believes it's the right time for him to retire.

"I hope we've done some good things while I have been here," Rafeld said. "We've tried to provide to people good communication during disasters and emergencies and the resources they need to get through bad times.

"The community as a whole has been very supportive of what we have tried to do," he added.

This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Ashland County EMA Director Mark Rafeld retires, last day was July 29