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PARKERSBURG — The Wood County 911 Center is under new leadership.

Dale McEwuen, who has served as Wood County deputy 911 director and emergency services manager for almost two years, was recently named as the new 911 director as former Director Mike Shook is resuming his previous position as deputy 911 director and emergency services manager.

Shook said he needed to make the change for “personal reasons” in his own life.

“This is something everyone agreed to,” he said. “There are no bitter feelings whatsoever.

“Dale is doing a great job.”

The change was effective June 23, according to the Wood County Administrator’s Office.

Both men were originally up for the director’s job in 2023 when then-Director Rick Woodyard was appointed by the Wood County Commission to fill out the term of sheriff following the retirement of Sheriff Steve Stephens. Woodyard has since been elected in 2024 to serve another term as sheriff.

Shook eventually got the job because of his experience as the deputy 911 director and his experience in law enforcement and emergency services. McEwuen was picked as the deputy director by Shook and approved by the county commission.

At the time, Shook had said McEwuen had “the right attitude” and “I know he is a hard worker.”

McEwuen is a retired Parkersburg Police Officer with over 22 years experience with training, SWAT experience, dispatching and public relations.

McEwuen is bringing a new energy to the position, Shook said.

“He is constantly moving forward and I think he is going to drag everyone else with him,” he said with a laugh.

During his time as director, Shook oversaw the last stages of the construction of the new Wood County 911 Center at the former Suddenlink building near the intersection of U.S. 50 and Interstate 77 and helped get the new center open and up and running.

Commission President Blair Couch said he was aware of the reasons Shook needed to step back.

“We were lucky that we originally picked Dale as the Number-Two and he has done very well with the employees and that is our main goal,” Couch said. “Our telecommunicators are very worthwhile and we are doing things to support them and make sure they are appreciated.”

The commission recently raised the cable franchise fee by 2% and dedicated that extra money to increasing pay for emergency 911dispatchers.

Couch said Shook will continue at his old position because of the experience he has had.

“He has a vast knowledge of emergency services and he helped lead us through the Ames fire (in October 2017) and that was really important,” Couch said. “We have seen what he can do up close and personal.

“He has led us through some crises.”

Couch touted the changes made to 911 over the past couple of years with the new building and the experience of the leadership they have had in place. Woodyard, Shook and McEwuen are all former law-enforcement.

“They all know how critical this is,” Couch said.

He credited McEwuen “leading the charge” with the Ambulance Service Authority to make sure the area had adequate ambulance service when it was announced this past spring that St. Joseph’s Ambulance Service was closing. McEwuen was able to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time, he added.

It was the work of the Authority that allowed Wood County to maintain a robust ambulance service.

“He communicated really well with the members and the commission,” Couch said. “We can’t be everywhere and we count on great employees and great team members to help lead the county on the correct path.”

Now that McEwuen is taking over, Couch said he will lead Wood County 911 to “the next phase.”

“(Across all county offices) you find the right people to do the right job,” he said of McEwuen.

McEwuen said Tuesday one of his priorities is to increase employees’ pay at the 911 Center to make them more competitive with surrounding agencies.

He is also looking at some remaining maintenance issues at the 911 Center and doing some needed personnel changes.

As far as being named the Wood County 911 Director, McEwuen said he felt “honored” the commission asked him to do the job and hopes to live up to the trust they have placed in him.

“As 911 director, I want to get some results for our center and move things in the right direction,” he said.

McEwuen said he wants to take a “holistic” approach in working with local law-enforcement, emergency medical services and the 911 system.

“I want to make sure we all have a good working relationship to where we can talk and communicate with each other,” he said. “That is the only way you can get better.”