Riley County, KS
Photo Courtesy of Riley County
The Riley County Board of County Commissioners voted today to approve the consolidation of Riley County Fire District #1, Riley County Emergency Medical Services (EMS), and Riley County Emergency Management into a single, unified department named Riley County Emergency Services. The decision follows a comprehensive review of the county’s emergency response structure and a formal proposal presented by Human Resources Director Elizabeth Ward, EMS Director David Adams, and Emergency Services Director/Fire Chief Russel Stukey.
Under the approved plan, the three divisions will operate within one department led by a Director of Emergency Services. The transition will begin in 2026 with EMS Director David Adams stepping into the role and leading the consolidated department. Current ES Director/Fire Chief Russel Stukey has announced his retirement plans for the fall of 2026 which will allow ample time to complete the transition smoothly.
“I am honored to take on this role,” Adams said. “Riley County has a long record of excellent emergency service, and our teams have worked well together for many years. My focus is to support that work and ensure we continue to deliver effective, reliable service to the community. I appreciate Chief Stukey’s guidance during this transition, and his experience will be valuable as we move forward.”
Stukey added “Change can be difficult, but I believe with the quality staff we have in place, this reorganization process will increase the efficiency of services provided to the public far into the future.”
The new organizational structure is intended to improve coordination during routine operations and major incidents by integrating training, planning, and emergency preparedness across the three response disciplines. It also streamlines administrative functions such as budgeting and resource management. The Director role will be administration focused while the division/deputy-level positions will be operational and hands-on managers.
“Under the previous structure, Chief Stukey was sometimes called to respond to fires and manage on-scene operations, which required him to step out of the Director role to support frontline work,” said Ward. “Under the new structure, the Director can stay focused on leading the department, while our division chiefs handle on-scene operations.”
Although Emergency Services is moving to a consolidated management structure, each division will continue to operate from their current locations to maintain continuity of service and quick response times. Renovation of the old EMS Station #1 at Clafin and Charles Little Road will continue, with Emergency Management and RCFD#1 scheduled to occupy that space when it is completed in late spring 2026. Director Adams will maintain an offices in the new EMS Station #1 at 1115 Charles Little Road as well as the new EM/RCFD#1 headquarters building. The Emergency Services Director role will still be responsible for leading the Emergency Operations Center.
The new structure will reduce one department head position, which is expected to save the county approximately $120,000 each year. During 2026, savings will be lower as both directors will be involved in the transition for nine months.
Additional information about the transition process and public updates will be shared as the new Emergency Services Department is implemented.
For more information about Riley County offices and services, please visit www.rileycountyks.gov or call 785-565-6200.
