Acting commissioner of county emergency services named

Gregory Skibitsky has been named acting commissioner of Erie County Emergency Services. He had been deputy commissioner since 1998. The appointment was made by Executive Joel Giambra.

The commissioner of emergency services responds and directs emergency response personnel to disaster situations involving emergency medical services and fire and disaster divisions. The commissioner also directs the volunteer hazardous materials specialized medical assistance response teams.

Skibitsky has been with Erie County since 1979 when he was hired as coordinator of Emergency Medical Services.

He is a member of numerous professional EMS boards, such as Mercy Flight and the Buffalo Emergency Medical Services Board. He has also been awarded the Erie County Executive's Top Gun Award in 1990 and 1991, and the East Amherst Volunteer Fire Department's Firefighter of the Year Award in 2001.