City hosts reception Saturday for emergency services director

The city Saturday hosted a reception at city hall for retiring Du Quoin Emergency Services director Chuck Genesio. During his tenure, Genesio and his team have been the gold standard for emergency preparedness throughout Illinois. Through the Tamaroa train derailment in 2003, several horrific storms and power outages he brought an unmatched caring to the position. He passes his work into the very capable hands of new director Doug Clark. What years ago was Civil Defense, then ESDA existed on a shoestring until Genesio asked Mayor John Rednour for an $80,000 budget (he got $55,000) to turn things around. He certainly did that and more.