A southeastern Iowa first-responders unit has a new director and has also expanded its services.
The Lee County Board of Supervisors has appointed Jason Dinwiddie as the interim director of the Lee County EMS. The board made the announcement Tuesday, Oct. 25, after former director Dennis Cosby resigned the day before.
Lee County Board Supervisor Garry Seyb said both Dinwiddie and Cosby worked together in the county’s EMS service for the past year. To this point, Dinwiddie had served as the county EMS operations officer.
“Jason has been also with Dennis from the very beginning of creating the county ambulance service,” Seyb said. So, it will be a seamless transition as you know as far, as far as I'm concerned.”
Before last year, the county had contracted with private emergency management services. In 2020, the county elected to provide EMS service and has operated a fleet of ambulances since July 2021.
Seyb said the county has recently expanded its fleet with an extra ambulance and nine additional emergency medical technicians, after Blessing Health closed its hospital in Keokuk on Oct. 1. County EMTs transport to Ft. Madison Community Hospital or Memorial Hospital in Carthage, Illinois.
Seyb said the board has posted an opening for the county EMS director position and hopes to interview applicants within the coming week.
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