Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 27, 1990                   TAG: 9006270351
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER MUNICIPAL WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

RESCUE MANAGER IS NAMED

City Manager Robert Herbert said Tuesday that Reed was selected from a field of 40 applicants, both inside and outside the city.

She has been acting manager of the emergency services operation since January.

Reed has worked in the program for 21 years and has been an administrative assistant in recent years.

"She has immense experience and she worked under Trent's tutelage for many years," said George Snead, director of administration and safety. "She has the background and experience for the job."

Snead said Reed has taken numerous emergency management technical courses. She is a member of the National Coordinating Council on Emergency Management.

She also serves on the city manager's Emergency Medical Services Advisory Committee and is a member of the Roanoke Valley Emergency Planning Committee.

Reed said she was excited about the opportunity. She said she wants to establish a close working relationship with other municipal departments and agencies in the Roanoke Valley.

"I want to ensure that we are pro-active so we are ready to deal with emergencies," she said.

Reed said she doesn't anticipate any major changes, although people have different management styles.

Reed will be responsible for all phases of the city's emergency management program, which includes development of emergency plans and coordination of responses during emergencies.

She also will coordinate the city's emergency medical pre-hospital care program, which includes 23 paid employees and 130 volunteers with the city's rescue squads.

Reed had a key role in the development of the emergency medical services program and the hiring of full-time cardiac technicians to work with volunteer rescue squads.

City officials said Reed has developed a close working relationship with federal, state and Roanoke Valley emergency services agencies.

Health problems forced Trent to retire earlier this year after he was on sick leave for nearly eight months. He began working for the city as a civil defense coordinator in 1962 when the emergency services operation dealt mainly with stocking bomb fallout shelters.