Eight counties | 36 cities | one region

ST. JAMES—The Region I Homeland Security Oversight Committee (HSOC) reorganized its officers and board at its October meeting at the Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC).

Tabitha Stanfast, of Salem Memorial District Hospital, assumed the role of HSOC chair for 2015-16, replacing Ron Smith of the Rolla Homeland Security Response Team. The board then nominated and approved Smith to serve as the new vice chair, replacing Stanfast.

The remaining Region I HSOC reorganization from the October meeting is as follows:

· Ron Long, Pulaski County, will serve as the primary for sheriff, replacing Rick Stallings, Dent County;

· Larry Flesher, Sullivan Fire Protection District, will replace Don Good, Lenox Rural Fire Protection District, as the primary for fire chief;

· Deborah Baker, Phelps County Health Department, will replace Debbie Rhodes, Phelps County Health Department, as the primary for county health;

· Bryan Lambeth, St. James Ambulance District, will replace Brice Naugle of Mercy Medical as primary for EMS;

· Michael J. Keen, Crawford County 911, will replace Doug Yurecko, Pulaski County 911/Waynesville Rural Fire District. Yurecko became the alternate;

· David Sewell will be the primary for the American Red Cross. Joe Price of American Red Cross will serve as alternate;

· Brad Armstrong, Lebanon R-III Schools, will serve as alternate for schools representative; and

· Tony Floyd, Intercounty Electric Cooperative, became alternate for Public Utility/Private Industry
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Primary representatives are needed for schools, public works and public utilities. Alternates are needed for fire, county health, EMS, sheriff, public works and mayor/city administrator.

Each jurisdiction represented on the board has a primary and an alternate member.

Region I HSOC, established along the boundaries of the State Highway Patrol Troop I, includes the counties of Crawford, Dent, Maries, Phelps, Pulaski and Laclede.

Three counties in the Meramec Region—Gasconade, Osage and Washington—are served through other regions. Gasconade and Osage counties are a part of Troop F, which is being coordinated by the Mid-Missouri Regional Planning Commission at Ashland while Washington County is a part of Troop C, which is coordinated by the Southeast Missouri Regional Planning Commission at Perryville.

The next Region I HSOC meeting is scheduled for 1 p.m. Jan. 28 at MRPC.