By Abbe Smith, Register Staff
Published: Saturday, September 6, 2008 2:15 PM EDT
NEW HAVEN — The regional public health coordinator for more than 30 towns in south-central Connecticut is leaving his job at the state Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security to join New Haven’s emergency preparedness team.
Richard Fontana Jr., whose salary as the part-time coordinator was paid for by a state Department of Public Health grant, started Tuesday as the new deputy director of emergency management operations for New Haven.
His new role in New Haven earns an annual salary of $69,133.
Fontana also leaves behind the city of West Haven, where he served for years as the part-time emergency preparedness coordinator. Before that he also worked as the homeland security director for West Haven and served 13 years as a firefighter and several terms as a fire commissioner. He retired from the West Haven Fire Department in 2007.
At his new job, Fontana will be responsible for New Haven’s emergency preparedness planning, response and recovery efforts.
He also will work closely with city departments and other local, state and federal agencies on public safety matters throughout the city.
“This job has been something I have been working toward for the past three or four years. It’s a great opportunity for me,” Fontana said.
In his role as the regional public health coordinator for emergency management, Fontana helped oversee an area that includes Clinton, Guilford, Madison, Meriden, Middletown, Milford, New Haven, Wallingford and West Haven health departments and the East Shore, Naugatuck Valley, Chatham and Quinnipiac Valley health districts.
Milford Public Health Director, A. Dennis McBride, who also heads the public health preparedness program for Region 2 of the Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, said the program will be looking to replace Fontana.
“Rick had a background as a firefighter and in emergency management — he helped to link in those services with the traditional mainstream public health services,” McBride said.
Fontana’s part-time position with the emergency management for the region was funded by a grant from the state Department of Public Health.
His position in West Haven also was funded by a public health grant. The two-year grant is usually worth about $80,000 a year — of which Fontana earned a salary of about $35,000.
Funding for Fontana’s position ended Aug. 31, but there is funding for the position for another year.
West Haven Health Director Eric Triffin said Fontana has offered to stay on board in some capacity to help train his replacement.
In addition to the salary for the emergency preparedness coordinator, the rest of the grant money is used to prepare the city to handle a public health emergency, such as a hurricane or pandemic flu.
Abbe Smith can be reached at asmith@nhregister.com or 789-5615.