Lee County’s approach to emergency management is getting a revamp following the retirement of the agency’s director of nearly two decades.

Kevin Lalley, who was hired in 2006, retired June 30. His replacement has not yet been chosen and the county is advertising the job opening of the “dedicated stand-alone position” while county officials meet internally to decide how they’ll go forward with operation. One option could be a hybrid role with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, County Administrator Jeremy Englund said.

The EMA is responsible for planning, coordinating, and directing programs to ensure Lee County is prepared for, can respond to and recover from disaster. It works with external agencies that include police and fire departments to assist with incident responses and public safety concerns throughout the county.

Englund said Lalley‘s role is going to be hard to fill. He was very dedicated and always a strong “advocate for emergency preparedness,” Englund said.

Stepping away has been bittersweet, but it’s time for someone else to lead the agency, Lalley said.

“I do miss the excitement and the adrenaline rush” of jumping into action during an emergency, he said.

“Over the years, I have had the privilege to work alongside some of the most dedicated public safety professionals, first responders, volunteers, and community leaders anyone could ask for. Together, we have navigated storms (both literal and figurative), trained for the unexpected, and built systems to keep our community safe and prepared,” Lalley wrote in a Facebook post announcing his retirement.

“I am proud of what we have accomplished, and I leave knowing the EMA is in good hands and on solid ground,” Lalley wrote.

Until a replacement is found, the agency is operating through the sheriff’s office and county administration, with Lee County Sheriff Clay Whelan focusing on incident response and Englund and county board chairman Bob Olsen generating reports.