Long-serving director of Wyoming County 911 retiring

Jul. 30—PINEVILLE — After decades of helping Wyoming County residents and other people across West Virginia when disasters disrupted their lives, the county 911 director is retiring Sunday to spend more time with his grandchildren and enjoy some fishing.

Emergency management and 911 directors from all over the state came Friday to the Wyoming County 911 Center to celebrate the career of Wyoming County Emergency Management Director and Emergency Management Council President Dean Meadows. In 1991, Meadows was appointed as the 911 Center and OES Director of Wyoming County.

In addition to his emergency services duties, in 1997 Meadows was awarded the positions of floodplain manager and fiduciary commissioner for Wyoming County. At the time of his appointment, both Wyoming County and the Town of Oceana were on probation with FEMA and facing sanctions, meaning that county residents may not have been eligible to purchase flood insurance or receive federal assistance in the event of a disaster.

Under Meadows' guidance, both Wyoming County and the Town of Oceana were successfully removed from probation with FEMA, and looming sanctions were not imposed. While it took three years to bring the county back into compliance, it did occur before one of the worst disasters in state history, during which all but two communities in Wyoming County were devastated by flooding.

"West Virginia's emergency management community has benefited greatly from Dean's leadership and experience," said WVEMD Director G.E. McCabe. "His support and generous assistance to state and local agencies have been crucial and we are grateful for his contributions to emergency management. I appreciate all the assistance and friendship Dean has given me over the last few decades."

Now Meadows is ready to retire.

"I've been here 31 years. I'm actually the only 911 director Wyoming County has ever had," Meadows said before Friday's reception.

A native of Wyoming County, Meadows was a deputy sheriff before he came to the 911 center.

"And when there became an interest in 911, I have such an interest in helping people that I hurriedly applied for the job," he recalled.

Meadows said that he's stayed on as 911 director all these years for the satisfaction of being able to help other people.

"You know the old adage, if love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life and from the very moment I started, I loved what I was doing here," Meadows said. "I saw how 911 was growing and prospering and I loved being a part of it. I couldn't see myself doing anything else."

During his career, Meadows has helped emergency services in other counties when flood waters started rising.

"I've done that several times," he said. "I've been to McDowell and as far north as Wetzel County during floods, and in 2016 I spent a lot of time in Greenbrier County. I've enjoyed that, being able to help other places."

Rain fell on the center's roof as he spoke. The latest storms inflicted some flood damage, keeping Meadows busy until his retirement.

"We've had a little bit of damage, especially in the Hanover area in the southwest portion of the county," Meadows said. "We've seen some water get in a couple of homes there and we've seen some bridges washed out; which is kind of ironic that I end my career walking through flooded houses, which I've done many times through my career, but I did that last night once again. and so I end my career doing a lot of the things I've done in the past."

And Meadows does have some plans that begin Monday.

"Well, I plan on retiring. I have seven grandchildren in three different states and I'm an avid fisherman," he said. "I love to fish and this is a good opportunity to take a few fishing trips. I'm looking forward to it."

The West Virginia Emergency Management Council and the West Virginia 911 both met Friday at the Wyoming County 911 Center. Meadows was a member of both thanks to his position. The meetings completed their regular business quickly, and the gathering soon became a farewell for him.

"And I'm quite honored, to be honest with you," Meadows stated. "I'm honored and humbled that they'd want to do that."

Meadows is known for helping 911 directors and emergency services directors in other counties when they need the benefit of his experience, said Jimmy Gianato, retired West Virginia Homeland Security director. Gianato traveled Friday to Wyoming County for the reception honoring his friend.

"Dean and I have known each other since about the time Wyoming County, McDowell County started 911 systems back in the early Nineties," he said. "Dean has been to many counties to help, particularly with flooding. He has a great knowledge of the systems and the programs, how they work; and he's able to go into counties that have less experienced personnel and new people and help them learn, and be able to teach them how to handle these situations."

Al Whitaker, was Greenbrier County's emergency management director in 2016, remembered how Meadows helped him when a devastating flood struck the county that year.

"In 2016 when we had the major flood that hit Greenbrier County as well as many others, I was asked by the state who I'd like to have to come down and assist me because it was a large-scale incident and the first person I could think of was Dean Meadows," Whittaker recalled. "I knew Dean had been through other disasters as well, but with his reputation and what I knew of Dean, I knew he could help me with that. and he came down and spent almost four weeks with me."

Laura Pysz, the Harrison County administrator, was that county's emergency management director in 2016.

"I was fortunate enough to be asked down to work with Al and his EOC (emergency operations center) so I worked alongside with Dean during the flood of 2016. I think we were there so many hours that we practically lived together in that EOC," Pysz said. "And Dean is very well versed with emergency management, 911. He understands the language that comes from the Legislature, break it down for everybody else, different councils, and he's very knowledgable. He's very humble. He's willing to help anyone at any time. It's been a privilege to work with him."

Bobby Hoge, director of Mercer County 911, said that directors from across West Virginia came to say farewell to Meadows. Keith Gunnoe, Mercer County's director of Emergency Management Services, said he reached out to Meadows after starting the job.

"He's been extremely helpful to me," Gunnoe said. "They're losing a great asset here, obviously."

During the reception, Meadows was presented with mementoes and plaques as well as two certificates signed by Gov. Jim Justice. Meadows took the opportunity to introduce his colleagues to his successor, Wyoming County native Tim Ellison.

"I actually start Monday," Ellison said later. "I retired from Appalachian Power last Tuesday. and my career was there for almost 41 years. I've always had a heart for emergency services. I'm a volunteer fireman and have sort of been in a dispatch career throughout the power company years."

Ellison said that following a director like Meadows will be a challenge.

"But I'll give it my best," he said.

As President of the West Virginia Emergency Management Council since 2018, Meadows has represented local emergency management agencies by supporting legislative actions to improve services, assisting local agencies across the state, and continuing the professional development of emergency managers through continuing education and building peer-to-peer networks amongst the counties, state officials said.

Among his many career accomplishments, Meadows received the 2009 WV E911 Council President's Award as the State's Top 911 Director and was selected as the 2016 West Virginia Emergency Manager of the Year.

— Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com

Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com