Athens 911 coordinator chosen to protect at olympics

by Morgan Dixon
Staff Writer

While most people watch the 2002 Olympic Games on television, an Athens County 911 coordinator will be there to help keep the thousands of tourists safe.

The Utah Olympics Public Safety Command notified Randy Mace, 51, by letter in November that he was selected to join a team of public safety personnel at the winter games. Mace laminated the acceptance letter the day it came and he might frame it surrounded by Olympic pins.

"I will be there as a communications officer," Mace said. "I will talk to the units in the field and make sure they have all the information they need regarding public safety."

Tammy Palmer, of UOPSC, said the volunteers will fulfill a number of jobs including emergency dispatcher and public safety communicator.

"They have been chosen to provide additional assistance at the Olympics," Palmer said.

About 50 emergency dispatchers from across the country will be traveling to Salt Lake City in February. Mace is the only person chosen from Ohio, he said.

"I heard about 1,200 people sent in applications," he said.

Mace, an Athens County 911 coordinator since 1998, heard about the opportunity from an Association of Public Safety Communications Officers e-mail in early September. He sent in his application around Sept. 12, Mace said.

Mace's wife and daughter will not make the trip, he said. He will be using vacation time while he is at the Olympics.

Mace said he arrives in Las Vegas on Feb. 2 and plans to drive to the Grand Canyon before arriving in Salt Lake on Feb. 5. He returns home on Feb. 26.

"I hope to see some of the Olympic events and tour some, but it depends on my work schedule," Mace said.

Mace will be in the thick of the international scene during the three-week job - he is assigned to work in the Olympic Village, which will house 3,500 athletes, coaches and officials.

The volunteer safety officials have to pay for transportation to Salt Lake but the Olympic Committee will house and feed them, Mace said. He will be staying at Westminster College.

While working at the Olympics, Mace also will be writing articles for The Journal of Public Safety Communications, which he has written for previously.

"I will cover the public safety aspect involved with getting ready for the games," he said.

Doug Bentley, Chief of Operations at Athens County Emergency Communications, said Mace has been keeping him posted throughout the entire process.

"I consider it quite an honor for him to be selected," Bentley said. "I have no problem with him taking off work for this."

He is preparing for the trip by reading about Salt Lake City and checking the Olympic website daily.

"I have collected travel books and have read about the Olympics as much as I can," Mace said.