In Florida, Sally Bishop was promoted from interim director to director of the Pinellas County Emergency Management Department. And in Waynesboro, Pa., Dave Martin was hired as fire chief of that volunteer department.

The Waynesboro Record Herald reports that Martin was selected over nine other applicants based on his credentials. Martin served as Fountaindale (Pa.) Volunteer Fire Department chief. He has 36 years of service, 17 of those with Waynesboro. Martin told the paper his workload at Waynesboro will allow him to stay on the Fountaindale department.

Martin is replacing Chief Ron Flegel, who is retiring in February. Martin told the paper that he and Flegel have had a long working relationship and plans to keep the department moving in the direction Flegel was taking it.

“Of the applicants that came in, there were many qualified candidates,” Council President Craig Newcomer told the newspaper. “It was a hard choice, but he just came in on top. We weighed everything and he (Martin) was recommended by both fire departments. When you look at it all in all, both fire departments need our support. If they come recommended, that weighs pretty heavy.”

Waynesboro Borough Council members also unanimously agreed to appoint Trayer Stoops and Jody Sanders as the department's two deputy chiefs, the paper reports.

According to the Tampa Bay Newspapers, Bishop had been assistant director for two years and has more than 20 years of emergency management experience, 11 of those years spent with the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

“I am humbled to have been appointed,” Bishop told the paper. “I couldn’t have asked to work with a better team of emergency managers. Together, we will continue to work together to make Pinellas a better prepared county.”