Commissioners appoint new EMA director

ZANESVILLE, Ohio- The Muskingum County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) has a new director.

The Muskingum County Commissioners appointed Jeff Jadwin to take over the role effective in September. This comes after the previous director, Bo Keck, announced his retirement.

The promotion comes from within, as Jadwin previously served as deputy director.

“It’s going to be a new challenge,” said Jadwin. “I’ve always been in management, been in EMS and fire. So this is just another step in that career to move forward and I look forward to the challenges that will present [themselves] being the head of the department.”

Jadwin spent years as a first responder and said he is excited to bring his experience to the position after a life-changing surgery put an end to his firefighting days.

“Well I started running EMS in 1980, got hired at Zanesville Fire Department in 1991, retired from there in 2012 after having open-heart surgery to that brought that career to a screeching halt,” said Jadwin.

Though he could no longer actively work in the field, Jadwin continued to share his knowledge as a fire and EMS instructor at Mid-East Career and Technology Center.

Jadwin and the commissioners will now work to fill his previous position as deputy director.