A woman closely associated with emergency communications and management in Hall County and the state has died at the age of 76. Elaine Sexton passed away peacefully at her Gainesville home Monday, according to her obituary.
Sexton’s career in public safety spanned 28 years. She started with the Gainesville Police Department where she spent six years, before transferring to Hall County Fire Dispatch. While working for dispatch, she served as the Director of Central Communications.
She was the first 911 Communications Director for the county and also served as Emergency Management Director, a post she held at the time of the March 20, 1998, killer tornado that tore through the North Hall area.
In June of that year, Sexton participated in a roundtable discussion involving emergency management personnel from around the state discussing the aftermath of the twister. At one point, Sexton declared: ” I know first-hand how it feels to have to face citizens and try to explain why they received no warning on a devastating deadly tornado. I also am known for being very vocal with my concerns about the short comings of the warning system in place for northeast Georgia.” The weather warning sirens around the county today were erected following the ’98 tornado.
Sexton retired from the GEMA (Georgia Emergency Management Agency) as the State 911 Program Coordinator and NASNA (National Association of State 9-1-1 Administrator.
The funeral will be Wednesday at 1:00 at Lakewood Baptist Church.
