Immediate Release
September 25, 2009
Batavia, Ohio. After 43 years of public service, Clermont County Department of Public Safety Services Director Beth Nevel is retiring at the end of September. For the past 9 ½ years, she has led the county agency that oversees 9-1-1 calls and the Clermont Emergency Management Agency. It is a hectic job that has required her to be on-call around the clock.
The 9-1-1 center averages around 500 calls a day and is connected to 27 different agencies. “I’ve got a great staff,” said a humble Nevel. “I am retiring from a job, but not from my commitment to serve the community. My husband and I will continue to grow vegetables to distribute to the elderly in our community and find new ways to help others.”
Nevel began her community service work at the age of 19, serving as a volunteer firefighter; from that time on, she was hooked. “My main mission has been to help citizens be prepared, should an emergency situation threaten,” she said. “One year ago, those preparedness efforts paid off when a wind storm knocked out power to some of our citizens for up to 10 days. Every home should have enough supplies on hand to be self-sufficient for 72 hours.”
“Clermont County is lucky to have someone like Beth working in the field of public safety,” said Clermont Board of Commissioners President Ed Humphrey. “I have had the pleasure of working alongside her on numerous occasions where she has professionally handled any roadblock that came her way."
“Beth has been invaluable as the county has moved forward with upgrades to the CAD (Computer Aided Dispatch) system that takes information from callers and quickly routes emergency response,” said Clermont County Administrator Dave Spinney. “She has been instrumental in planning for the Emergency Operations Center expansion that will enable multiple agencies to pool resources in disaster situations; the site will also be utilized as a training facility for UC Clermont.”
What will life be like in retirement for Nevel, who has been on call for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for so many years? Can she sleep in? “I will have the coffee pot on early and will probably always have an ear on the scanner.” Some habits can’t be broken. #
For additional information about this or other county news, contact Clermont County Communications Director Kathryn Lehr at (513) 732-7597 or by e-mail, klehr@co.clermont.oh.us.