—Daily Freeman-Journal photo by Adri Sietstra New Hamilton County Emergency Management Coordinator Dylan Hagen is pictured above outside the Hamilton County Courthouse on Tuesday afternoon. Hagen, 23, began the position on March 15.

A change in his career path is what ultimately brought Hamilton County’s new emergency management coordinator to the community.

Dylan Hagen, 23, began his duties at Hamilton County Emergency Management Coordinator on March 15.

Hagen graduated from Jefferson High School. After high school, Hagen began culinary school at Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge. He changed career routes soon after starting school and became a 911 dispatcher for Webster County. He spent three and a half years dispatching for the county.

After working closely with Webster County Emergency Management Coordinator Scott Forbes, Hagen learned about the crucial services provided by this position.

“When I dispatched in Webster County, I worked with Scott Forbes, the emergency management coordinator over there, on a drowning rescue in Lehigh. I basically worked with Scott and helped him organize things,” Hagen said. “It really opened my eyes to what emergency management does and perked my interest.”

Hagen will be working closely with the county and community to ensure proper plans are in place for emergency situations.

“A lot of it is planning and organizing,” he said. “We have to have plans done every year. That is a big part of what we do.”

One of his current projects is working on the Alert Iowa system. The free program sends out notifications for any severe weather. Individuals can sign up for specific alerts that all go through the National Weather System. Alerts can be received through cell phones and land lines, if necessary.

“This is a free program that I am stressing the public sign up for,” said Hagen. With that, we have the capability of sending out notifications to your phone for anything from an evacuation in place to a shelter in place.”

Considerable amounts of training and planning go into this position. As Hagen is still getting a feel for the position, he is still working closely with Forbes. He hopes to continue to meet people and make connections throughout the community.

He has also been an EMT for five years and is a volunteer on the Otho Fire Department. Hagen has also been on the Fort Dodge police reserves for a year and a half and worked for the Dayton Police Department. His experience with these organizations along with his dispatch work gave him the boost to apply for the position.

“I thought it was something I would be interested in,” Hagen said. “It kind of ties in with police, fire, EMS, all of that stuff. You still deal with all of those departments.”

Prior to working in Hamilton County, Hagen was and EMT at Trinity in Fort Dodge and a dispatcher for Webster County.

Hagen currently resides in Coalville with his two dogs. He has plans to move closer to the area in the near future.

“I look forward to getting out in the community and meeting everyone and providing the community with whatever I can,” said Hagen.

The public can contact Hagen at dhagen@hamiltoncounty.org or call 832-9518.