Steve Peterson served as the Director of Emergency Services for 7-years and has worked for Ulster County for 35-years
Kingston, N.Y. – County Executive Pat Ryan announces that after a distinguished career in public service, Director of Emergency Services Steve Peterson has announced his intention to retire. Peterson has served the people of Ulster County for more than 35-years.
“I want to thank Steve for his 35-years of service and his dedication to Ulster County,” County Executive Pat Ryan said. “During his tenure, Steve spearheaded numerous improvements to our public safety, most notably he oversaw the completion of the Public Safety Training Center which will positively impact future generations of first responders. His work on behalf of the county will be sorely missed and I wish him all the best as he enters the next phase of his life.”
“It has been an honor to serve the residents and visitors of Ulster County in the Department of Emergency Services throughout my entire career,” Steve Peterson said. “I've had the privilege of working with true Public Safety Professionals that go above and beyond every single day as they carry out the mission with compassion and empathy. With the support of County Executive Ryan and his staff we have made several improvements in Public Safety, specifically with the completion of the Public Safety Training Center. In addition, we recently received a 6-million-dollar grant from NYS that will improve Radio Communications throughout the County in support of First Responders. I want to thank everyone for their dedication and support over the years.”
Under Peterson’s leadership, he oversaw the creation and the completion of the Public Safety Training Center on Ulster Landing Road in the Town of Ulster. The new facility is over 5,200 square feet, featuring 13 burn rooms and five forced entry doors. The Public Safety Training Center, completed in May of 2020, provides additional hands-on training equipment that had previously been unavailable within Ulster County.
Peterson started with Ulster County as a part-time Emergency Services Dispatcher in April of 1985 and became a full-time employee three years later. He was promoted to a Senior Emergency Services Dispatcher in July of 1992 and promoted to the position of Deputy Director of Emergency Communications/Emergency Management in January of 2011 before becoming Director in July of 2014. In 2003, Peterson was awarded the NYS EMS Communication Specialist of the Year Award in recognition of his life saving actions.
###
