KIMBERLY WHITE
Northwest Florida Daily News (Fort Walton Beach, Florida)

DEFUNIAK SPRINGS -- Walton County residents can expect a quicker response to emergency calls, including those that might come during this year's hurricane season.

Sheriff Mike Adkinson took over June 1 as director of emergency management operations. Also, emergency management and 911 functions now scattered across the county eventually will be consolidated under one roof.

Adkinson and County Commission Chairwoman Sara Comander will coordinate the emergency response system during the 2009 hurricane season that runs through Nov. 30.

County Administrator Ronnie Bell said in an e-mail that Ed Baltzley, director of the emergency-response division, will continue to oversee the Walton County Fire Rescue and animal control operations.

But a plan to move all emergency management operations from the EOC to the Sheriff's Office will not be implemented for at least five months, Adkinson said.

"We're not going to make any physical changes to the emergency operations during hurricane season," he said.

911 emergency calls will be dispatched from the EOC building until at least November.

County records show that in 2008, the 911 dispatch center received more than 30,000 calls. But time and money were wasted because the agencies involved in emergency response were scattered and many of their duties overlapped.

Walton County, Adkinson said, "has been moving in a direction opposite of the rest of the nation ... Seconds are lives in this business, especially when we're talking about 911 operations."

The move to consolidate was heightened by a visit Adkinson and Commissioner Kenneth Pridgen took several weeks ago to tour emergency operations centers in Marion, Citrus and Hernando counties.

During that trip, they met with the sheriffs and EOC directors to learn how to improve Walton's emergency-response operations.

Meanwhile, a new committee made up of members of police and fire departments and the Sheriff 's Office has been formed to help coordinate communication efforts.

Although he will help direct emergency response operations, Adkinson said, "It's not my baby.

"We're going to keep the board actively involved and engaged in emergency management," said Adkinson, who has a personal stake in ensuring a smooth operation.

"I can be held personally liable, so you better believe I'll be personally responsible" in ensuring a smooth transition and operation, he added.

The Sheriff 's Office now is going through the state accreditation process. When that is complete, "all our communication protocols will have to meet state accreditation standards," he said. "Because they're now part of the Sheriff's Office, now everything they do has to meet that standard."

Copyright 2009 Northwest Florida Daily News
June 7, 2009