George Schluer had a few hands to shake before signing in for his last day of work at the Sullivan County 911 Center on May 30. Schluer’s colleagues had arranged for some 45 fire trucks and ambulances to appear at the center, located in the Sullivan County International Airport, just in time to see Schluer pull up for his last day on the job.

Schluer is the first person to retire from the center, which came into being in 1987. Schluer has served as a dispatcher for 25 years, and was praised by county legislator and public safety committee chair Cora Edwards, public safety commissioner Dick Martinkovic, sheriff Mike Schiff and E-911 coordinator Alex Rau.

Earlier this year, the county legislator honored Schluer for his grace under fire when he received a call from a woman in the Town of Bethel who was about to give birth. Schluer talked the woman and her husband through the process of successfully delivering the baby, who was in a breech position, before the ambulance arrived.