PENDER COUNTY — Pender County officials have named Rick J. Sauer as its first-ever Director of Emergency Services, another move in the restructuring of the county’s public safety operations.
Sauer’s appointment is part of the plan to consolidate Pender EMS and Fire, Penderlea Fire, Pender County Emergency Management, and the Fire Marshal’s Office under county supervision. Sauer officially starts April 13, with the merger set to go into effect on July 1, 2026.
READ MORE: Pender Fire and EMS merger MOU approved amid employee turnover, cost concerns
“Rick brings exactly the kind of leadership Pender County needs at this critical moment,” County Manager Colby W. Sawyer said in a release. “We set out to find someone who has not only managed the full spectrum of emergency services but has built and unified these operations under a single department. Rick has done precisely that.”
Sauer moves to Pender from Sampson County, where he has served as Emergency Services Director since 2021. During his time in Sampson, he oversaw a $12.8 million budget and managed the transition into a new $18.4 million emergency services facility. He also implemented data-driven staffing models to justify 12 new positions and created career ladders to address recruitment and retention issues within EMS and 911 dispatch.
Sauer’s background leans heavily on disaster management and command experience. He spent nearly 30 years with the New York State Police, rising to the rank of sergeant in the agency’s Emergency Management unit and commanding a 16-county hazardous materials response team.
In the fire service, he rose through the ranks to serve as fire chief of the Liberty Fire Department in New York from 2014 to 2020.
His disaster response record includes deployments for Hurricanes Harvey, Maria, Sandy, Irene, and Dorian. Most recently, he spent 30 days across three assignments in western North Carolina following Hurricane Helene.
Beyond administration, Sauer is a contract instructor for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and holds nine National Fire Protection Association certifications, including Fire Officer III and Hazardous Materials Operations. He holds a Master of Public Administration from Marist College.
During his first few weeks, Sauer is expected to meet with staff across the various departments to continue to develop plans for the merger.
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