May 23, 2021 2 min read

In the aftermath of the Election Day flood of 1985 that submerged much of the Mon Valley, Jeff Yates was asked by then county emergency services director Bracken Burns to come down to help coordinate the response and cleanup in Washington County.

Yates was working as a regional training coordinator for Emergency Medical Services Institute near Pittsburgh, but he was happy to help a friend in need, along with his fellow county residents since he was living in Bentleyville at the time.

After working on the flood response, Burns mentioned to Yates that he had a job opening in his department.

“And here I am,” Yates said.

After 35 years working in Washington County’s public safety department – including a quarter-century as its director – Yates retired from his job May 14 and was honored by the Washington County commissioners during their meeting Thursday. He thought he would work for five years in the department, but ended up making a career out of it.

“It’s been a fantastic career,” Yates said. “Once-in-a-lifetime experiences over and over again.”

Commission Chairwoman Diana Irey Vaughan thanked Yates for his “tremendous public service for many, many years” as she handed him a silver plate to mark his retirement.

“We sit today in honor and with a grateful heart of all the sacrifices you’ve made,” Irey Vaughan said.

“You’ve always been a gentleman, a professional,” Commissioner Larry Maggi said.

Yates recalled working with Burns on various training initiatives and helping to form the county’s hazardous materials response team.

Yates was later promoted to become the department’s director in 1996 and was immediately met with several serious incidents. In the first four months after taking the position, Yates said he faced a blizzard, flood and the tire fire in Washington.

“That was pretty crazy,” Yates said of his first few months as director. “My God, so many things.”

Many people from various public safety departments gathered in the back of the commissioners meeting room Thursday to show support for Yates and honor his career. Ryan Frazee will serve as interim director of the department, while Justin Shawley will work as interim deputy. The county began advertising for the position Thursday, although there is no timeline for the hiring of permanent director.