FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: John Wilson, Lee County Public Safety

(941) 335-1600

BRIDGES PROMOTED TO DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY

FORT MYERS, Fla. (June 29, 2000) – Michael Bridges, the county’s program manager for emergency communications, has been promoted to Deputy Director of the Division of Public Safety. The position had been vacant since the death of Brian Brunick in January.

The county’s Public Safety Division oversees Emergency Medical Services, Emergency Management, and the E-911 system. It employs 217 people and has a $20-million budget.

Bridges has been with Lee County since February 1996, serving as the Division’s Telecommunications Program Manager. He has more than 20 years of enlisted and commissioned military service in the U.S. Marine Corps and prior to coming to Lee County he worked for a research and development firm that specializes in finding innovative solutions to communications problems.

Bridges has an MBA and brings more than 32 years of management experience to this position. In his new position, he will oversee the Division’s EMS and Telecommunications programs. He also will continue managing the effort to complete the upgrade to the county’s 800 MHz (emergency) radio system.