When Ron Hoffman was a senior at Linn High School in 1979, he decided to enlist in the US Air Force, which began a journey in which he would gather experience in law enforcement, emergency medical dispatching, and fire service, culminating now in his appointment as director of Osage County 911 and the Emergency Management Agency (EMA).
All that experience makes him very qualified to succeed Andi Rice, who announced she will step down Jan. 1. “I will be available to answer any questions he may have to ensure a seamless transition, but I’m confident that the citizens of Osage County are in great hands with Ron,” said Rice.
“I think Ron is the right choice,” said Presiding Commissioner Darryl Griffin. “He has an extensive background with HAZMAT and the fire department and is current on all his licensing. He has a lot of experience and is a member of our community, and he wants to help everyone. I’m glad he was interested in taking the job and I think he’ll serve the people of Osage County very well.”
Six applicants were interested in the position and Second District Commissioner Larry Kliethermes said he was impressed with Hoffman.
“We had some good applicants for the job,” said Kliethermes. “Everyone brought some good things to the table, and after interviewing them, my personal feeling was that Ron’s experience and his grant-writing ability put him above the others. I think he’ll be a great asset to Osage County in this role. I thought he’d be a great fit for 911.”
Hoffman believes the lessons he learned along the way will help further unify emergency services.
“It’s very important for all of us to work together,” he said. “I want to continue to work through the issues brought to our attention and continue to provide the best service for our customers. We all have the same customer.”
Customer, in this case, means patient or victim, be it from a medical emergency or fire, or someone in need of law enforcement.
Hoffman was on active duty in the Air Force for six years and finished in the Air Force Reserves as a security police officer. He began working in 1986 as a volunteer and later served as a full-time EMT with Osage Ambulance District. In 1997, Hoffman started working part-time and in 2010 went full-time as an EMT/dispatcher for Cole County EMS, from which he retired in September 2020.
While working in a part-time capacity, he was a full-time mason, but retired from that field in 2010 and focused on EMT/dispatching work. He was certified as an Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD) in 2017.
“They’re a great group of folks,” said Hoffman of his Cole County EMS coworkers. “I learned a lot while working there for 24 years.”
Hoffman also had a desire to serve in the fire department, joining in 1993 as a volunteer. He was appointed chief in 2004, and still maintains that role with the Linn Fire Protection District.
“I have experience managing budgets and supervising staff, and I understand the needs of fire, EMS, and law enforcement,” said Hoffman. “I have what I call the triad of services, with 911 dispatch in the center.”
Elements of fire, EMS, and law enforcement overlap, and Hoffman said he believes everyone should utilize their strengths but also understand some of what the other agencies need.
“Fire personnel should know about First Aid and how to stabilize a patient, and what to look for in terms of whether a fire is deliberate,” said Hoffman. “EMS crews should recognize signs of abuse so they know whether to involve law enforcement. It’s a good thing to have everyone understand that a situation is dynamic and can potentially involve other agencies, but I also believe that everyone has a strength. The fire department knows what it needs to do, EMS has its role, and law enforcement personnel are best equipped to handle their priorities. Everyone does what they’re supposed to do to the best of their ability, and helps each other. That is how we do the best job we can for the customer.”
Dispatching is much more than answering the phone. “The 911 Center does not have secretaries,” said Hoffman. “We have highly trained and certified dispatchers who are ready and able to help people in an emergency. There are protocols in place to help identify the issue, but as Emergency Medical Dispatchers, we also can provide step-by-step instructions that could save a life.”
Hoffman said many people do not understand why there are so many questions when they call 911, but the answer is simple.
“It’s not a waste of time,” said Hoffman. “While one dispatcher is asking questions, another has already dispatched the appropriate emergency services. The point of the questions is to determine first if there is something we can do to stabilize a situation while responders are on the way. Second, responders need to know what they’re walking into when they get there.”
From CPR to childbirth, and many other situations in between, Hoffman said medical dispatchers are trained to help. “People handle emergencies differently,” he said. “If someone calls after cutting their arm, we can provide instructions on how to stop the bleeding. We can walk you through childbirth too. It may not be ideal, but we are trained for that.”
Sometimes there are calls in which help is needed immediately because people just don’t have time to wait for someone to get there. In one example, Hoffman said while it is not common, dispatchers have protocols for helping someone escape a vehicle sinking in a body of water. “You never know when that kind of call might come in, so being ready for it is very important,” Hoffman added. “We follow internationally recognized protocols that have been proven to work time and again.”
Regarding whether OAD should return to Osage County for dispatching services, Hoffman said he doesn’t have a good answer, but notes he wants what’s best for the customer.
“I am not looking to anyone to assume blame, take blame or give blame,” he said. “That can be non-productive. We should complete our research into an issue and correct and make improvements as we all have. Now that that process is complete, all of us can come to a plan that accomplished the same mission, to protect and serve our community. We need a plan that allows each of us to focus on our special skills and work together as one unit, supporting and complementing each other.”
As LFPD chief, Hoffman has cultivated relationships for many years and understands not only what each fire department needs but also what is expected of him.
“From Dixon to Chamois, and Westphalia to Owensville, we’re all one big fire department family,” said Hoffman, who has served as president of the Four Rivers Firefighters Association, and is still a member. “I have a clear understanding, and I believe my experience will help as director of 911.”
Hoffman plans to be involved as fire chief when appropriate but admits there may be times when he won’t be able to fill that role. “If I’ve done a good job with training, everyone in the fire department should be able to step in and get it done,” he said. “We believe that school, work, and family come first, and if I’m in the middle of something in my role as director, then my leadership team will have to step up, and I have no doubt they will do a great job. In a small community like ours, it’s understood that not everyone will make it to every call.”
Osage County 911 is fully staffed and certified in Missouri Uniform Law Enforcement System (MULES), APCO, and other state-required training, along with the recently installed ProQA system.
“All dispatchers are cross-trained so they know a little about every agency we serve,” said Hoffman. “We rely heavily on each other, and can’t be effective if we’re missing a team member. Everyone is important.”
While 911 is responsible for handling emergency calls, dispatchers also perform MULES checks for law enforcement and relay information from the public to various agencies.
“We also update the public through social media and Smart911 about impending weather events such as ice or flooding or tornadoes,” said Hoffman. “Everything we do is designed to improve public safety.”
Like Rice, Hoffman will also lead the EMA. He joined in 1986 as a volunteer and worked part-time for six years as the operations officer, and assistant EMD.
“I have taken care of the equipment and made sure it was ready to go when needed,” said Hoffman. “Andi and I have worked very well together. We complemented each other in this system.”
The mission of the Osage County Emergency Management Agency is to support vital emergency service departments — fire, EMS, law enforcement, utility companies, and other fundamental professionals — with a common goal to reduce and protect citizens from the loss of life and property by emergency management programs that allow mitigation, preparation, response, and recovery.
Moving forward, Hoffman does not anticipate any major changes.
“I want to see the department and agency continue to improve, and always be prepared for the next event,” said Hoffman, who began dispatching for Osage County 911 after leaving Cole County EMS. “I think we can make this transaction as seamless as possible,” he said. “I want to learn or refresh my knowledge on each component of the position while letting the staff get to know me better as I get to know them.”
There must always be objectives, goals, and a direction for the future, he added.
Before voters chose to fund and operate a 911 Center, calls were taken by the sheriff’s department. Since the 911 Center began operations, Hoffman said goals were set to make the service better.
“This office has been and will continue to look forward to the future and be prepared for what challenges departments and agencies face, and what we need to accomplish our goals,” said Hoffman.
COVID has affected the number of calls greatly, and the center is putting in a third console to be manned during those demanding times.
Hoffman has some suggestions to make emergency response better for the community.
“We will continue to provide education to the public whenever possible,” he said. “Our interaction this year has been very limited due to the pandemic, but we have been promoting 911 through Facebook.”
Addressing is an ongoing challenge, and Hoffman said people can help by ordering large green reflective signs. “It’s not always easy to see the smaller numbers on a mailbox or over the door,” he said. “We want to find people in an emergency as fast as possible, and having a prominently displayed address helps a lot.”
Another project Hoffman is working on is having people use lockboxes. “They can be secured over the door, and it could mean the difference between life and death, especially for our elderly citizens,” said Hoffman.
Members of EMS, fire and law enforcement would have a universal key to open the lockbox, which would contain the key to the property. “If a deputy gets to a scene ahead of EMS and sees someone lying on the floor inside, he or she could use a key to get access to the house, and stabilize the individual,” said Hoffman. “This would be a huge asset to first responders.”
Hoffman noted that these lockboxes are very secure, and the plan is to sell them for $35 each at various places in the county. “If people don’t need the box anymore at one home, they could be given to another person in need or I’ll buy it back for $20, and offer it at a discount to someone else,” said Hoffman. “These boxes will last a long time. I think it’s a small investment for peace of mind.”
All in all, Hoffman said he is grateful for the opportunity to lead 911/EMA and appreciates the support of the county commission.
“Everyone shares the same goal, and I look forward to providing the best possible 911 service,” said Hoffman.