Former director of the Columbia/Boone County Office of Emergency Management and Joint Communications Zim Schwartze has been selected as Springfield's new 911 director. Cora Scott, the Springfield city spokesperson, says Schwartze’s experience and background in Columbia will be extremely beneficial to the emergency team in Springfield.
"I know that in Columbia, she led a team of tele-communicators that dispatch police fire EMS for 11 different agencies, so we knew in that role she had to collaborate with many different entities including city, county and others. So we are definitely looking for someone of that experience and caliber for our operations as well," Scott said.
Scott says the city just finalized the offer this week and Schwartze was selected as the director from over 100 applicants. Schwartze was the director of the Columbia/Boone County 911 office and her position was eliminated due to city budget cuts in May.