Carmel, NY – This week, Putnam County Executive Kevin Byrne officially announced his intention to name Robert “Bob” Lipton the Commissioner of the Bureau of Emergency Services (BES). Lipton has been serving as Interim Commissioner since Byrne took office earlier this year, following years of dedicated service as Deputy Commissioner of BES under three different commissioners since 2013. The Deputy Commissioner role will be filled by John “Ralph” Falloon, a current BES employee and longtime career firefighter from the Stamford Fire Department. Deputy Commissioner Fallon also possesses decades of experience in the volunteer fire service in Cold Spring, where he also served as fire chief.

“The Bureau has been in excellent hands since Bob took over on an interim basis for us back in January. He’s impressed everyone with his work ethic, professionalism, and ability to lead our Emergency Services team during a time of transition,” said County Executive Kevin Byrne. “I’m also excited to announce that Ralph Falloon has accepted Commissioner Lipton and my offer to serve as Deputy Commissioner. Ralph brings a wealth of knowledge and experience about emergency services and management, from both inside and outside Putnam County, to our team. Putnam residents can rest assured our emergency services will be strong for years to come.”

Lipton was chosen after an extremely competitive interview process by a selection committee that included Legislator Ginny Nacerino as Chair of Protective Services, Deputy County Executive Jim Burpoe, Director of Personnel Paul Eldridge, and six other highly respected emergency service professionals from the county. Lipton’s nomination must now be confirmed by a full vote of the Putnam County Legislature where it requires support by a 2/3 majority according to the Putnam County Charter.

“Bob Lipton’s been an incredible resource and source of support for the residents of our county,” said Legislator Ginny Nacerino. “We had a lot of really great applicants for the position, and I was genuinely impressed by some, but Bob stood out. We’re so fortunate to have him take over as Commissioner, and I’m thankful to County Executive Byrne for putting forth his nomination. I’m sure we’ll have no issues getting his position confirmed at our next meeting.”

“I’m honored to be able to continue the work with the great team we’ve built at the Bureau over the past decade,” said Commissioner Lipton. “I’m committed to providing the best possible services to our residents, and working with our emergency services partners in the community, and at all levels of government to prepare for and respond to any emergency. Thank you to County Executive Byrne for the opportunity to serve the people of Putnam in this new role.”