Nixon wears a lot of hats, and each one is important

Jonathan Nixon is a Perquimans County civil servant whom few people ever have the chance to meet face to face.

Most of the time, the work of his office does not affect daily life for county residents. But when it does, Perquimans County Emergency Services and its work are as important as anything can get.

Nixon’s role includes not just coordinating the work of Perquimans’ first responders and essential volunteers during disasters. It also includes ensuring safety in all situations, whether local, regional or personal — and regardless of whether they are man-made or not.

From hurricanes and house fires to chemical spills and plane crashes — and even the people who need oxygen canisters in the event of a power outage — the response to all of these events falls under Nixon’s purview.

Nixon and Julie Solesbee, Emergency Services assistant director, recently took time to discuss their office’s work and how it affects the lives and safety of everyone in Perquimans.

Emergency Services coordinates the efforts of the county’s fire departments, fire marshal, emergency medical technicians, the sheriff’s office, and 911 communications. But the only two agencies of those the office actually supervises are the EMTs and 911 communications.

Perquimans County’s 100 miles of coastline, record of hurricanes, agricultural economy, single law enforcement office, and presence of agricultural supply facilities with chemicals and pesticides make Perquimans unique from other counties. Nixon said that uniqueness is a universal constant in the state.

“I’ve heard someone say that if you understand how public safety works in one of the 100 counties in North Carolina, then you only understand how public safety works in one county in North Carolina. Each one has some unique anomaly,” Nixon said.

Take how firefighting works in the county.

“The Emergency Services department has no fire department,” Solesbee said. “The fire departments are all contracted services to the county. They are all independent.”

There are six non-profit departments in the county. They’re located in the towns of Winfall and Hertford, and in the communities of Bethel, Durants Neck and Belvidere. The Inter-County VFD is located on Woodville Road.

The job of Emergency Services to coordinate those relationships and the efforts of different types of first responders, such as law enforcement and firefighters.

In addition to the department’s administrative duties, Nixon coordinates interdepartmental planning and drills for major disasters like hurricanes. Storm events like tornadoes and hurricanes are the first thing that comes to mind for most of the region’s residents, but disasters can be natural or man-made.

Chemical spills, crop duster crashes, tanker truck explosions, and significant fires can happen anytime. In 1978, a major oil fire occurred in Winfall when oil tanks from the Windsor Oil Company ignited, making national news. Twenty years ago, Hurricane Isabel paralyzed the region.

Regular drills are conducted to test the county’s responses. However, nature can also expose the county to out-of-the-blue threats like the recent COVID-19 epidemic. And then there are cyber threats.

Nixon is also responsible for maintaining the county’s emergency command center. Located outside of Hertford on land that is more resistant to flooding, the center has hardened communications, providing a place for county officials to coordinate and plan in the event of an emergency.

Nixon has worked as Emergency Services coordinator since 2014 but he started emergency work in 1998 as an emergency medical technician. He also has certifications as a telecommunicator and a firefighter. He said it is challenging to do so much in so many areas.

“I’m a mass of worthless knowledge, at least sometimes to the public,” he said.

But his work has given him experience in maintenance, construction, and custodial services, all of which have been valuable, he said.

“I’ve been very fortunate to be exposed to many different areas,” Nixon said. “They have really been valuable in a rural county like ours, where you need to wear a lot of hats.”