The Lake Sun Leader reports that Gary Woodson is taking the job of emergency services coordinator for the Osage Beach (Mo.) Department of Public Safety. This is a newly created position.

Woodson worked with the Lake Ozark (Mo.) Fire Protection District since 2003. He was previously in charge of training and certification for the Missouri State Fire Marshal's office in Jefferson City, Mo. He also was fire chief for Moreau (Mo.) Fire District.

Woodson will oversee the city's ambulance and paramedic services, act as the emergency management director and be responsible for organizing, regulating, training and inspecting workplace safety rules for all city departments, according to Osage Beach public safety director Dave Severson told the paper.

"There is a lot we can do as a city to increase our preparedness level to improve emergency management," Severson told the paper. "It was time for the city to have someone who could devote more attention to the matter."