30 and counting

Sheriff's Department staffers recognized for service, dedication

HARTINGTON — Over 90 years of collective experience in the Cedar County Sheriff's Office was recognized here last week.

Sheriff Larry Koranda, Cedar County Emergency Services Manager Kevin Garvin and jailer/dispatcher Jan Jansen have all served the county for 30 years or more.

Cedar County Chief Deputy Chad Claussen presented the trio with plaques during a brief Friday morning presentation in the Cedar County court room.

Koranda was hired as a deputy in July 1996. He was appointed as Sheriff Jan. 4, 2000, for Loren Trautman who resigned after pleading 'No Contest' to a misdemeanor charge of Obstruction of Justice.

Trautman had been dogged by staff and budget concerns throughout his one year stint in office.

Koranda has since been elected as sheriff seven times.

Despite his longetivity with the office, Koranda is the rookie among the trio.

Garvin has been on board the longest. He was hired as a jailer/dispatcher in May 1995 by then Sheriff Elliot Arens. Jansen was hired in June 1996.

Garvin said he joined the staff after he first became familiar with the deputies when they held a law enforcement contract to police the city of Laurel.

'I had gotten to know the deputy sheriffs over time. Deputy Jerry McCarthy thought I would be good at the job and repeatedly encouraged me to apply. I was interested in the position, so I took the leap and applied,' Garvin said.

Garvin received the designation of 911 coordinator in 1997 when original 911 coordinator McCarthy resigned.

In 2001, Garvin was appointed to serve as the Emergency Management Director.

The Federal Government developed guidance in 2007 and provided funding to support the local Emergency Management programs.

Cedar County Commissioners decided they wanted to comply with the Federal guidelines and have Emergency Management be a full-time position with other duties as assigned around 2008.

From that point forward, Garvin's primary duties were Emergency Management and Communications Coordinator.

'For over 30 years, Kevin has worked tirelessly to ensure our community is ready to respond while emergencies arise, whether they are natural disasters, severe weather events, public safety incidents, or the unforeseen challenges,' Claussen said. 'Emergency management is a profession that requires planning for the unexpected and preparing for the worst, while hoping for the best.'

Claussen said most people don't see the hours Garvin puts into the position.

'Many people never see the countless hours spent developing emergency plans, coordinating training exercises, securing resources, maintaining critical communication systems, and building partnerships with local, state, and federal agencies, yet when a crisis occurs, those efforts become the foundation upon which successful response and recovery are built.'

Garvin said Emergency Management is often misunderstood, and people don’t always understand what the job entails.

'Often times I get the comment that Emergency Management only deals with weather or chases storms. That couldn’t be further from the truth, but weather is when the public hears from us the most and sees us the most,' Garvin said.

Claussen said Garvin also puts that same dedication into his role as 911 coordinator.

'As 911 coordinator, Kevin has also played a vital role in maintaining and improving one of the most important services our citizens rely on' he said. 'Every emergency call that is able to reach help quickly and accurately is a reflection of the dedication, expertise, and commitment that Kevin has brought to this responsibility throughout the years.'

Garvin has never been the type of person to seek the spotlight and wanted to make sure people know he is only able to do his job because of the people around him.

'Larry (Koranda) summed it up best at the ceremony the other day. 'We can’t do our jobs alone. We have to have support from our families, our colleagues and the other elected officials. Without the behind the scenes people it would be very difficult to do the job.' ' Koranda and Jansen will be profiled in an upcoming issue.