Our Staff

Louis J. Vargo: Deputy Director
Lou Vargo (MS, CRNA) is the part-time deputy director of the Wheeling–Ohio County Emergency Management Agency, where he has also served as director. He has more than 25 years of experience in emergency management in West Virginia and Ohio. He is also a team coordinator for the Wheeling–Ohio County Hazardous Materials Response Team. Vargo is the vice chairperson for the Region X-XI Bio-Terrorism Planning Committee and the chairperson for the Wheeling–Ohio County Anti-Terrorism Task Force. He is responsible for National Incident Management System compliance for the county.

Lou received a master of science degree in health education/community health management from the School of Medicine at West Virginia University in Morgantown and a bachelor of science degree in anesthesia from the former Wheeling College. Vargo is currently the administrative director of the Wheeling Hospital department of anesthesiology.

Vargo is a certified hazardous materials technician and incident commander. Lou is certified in Basic Disaster Life Support and Operations Disaster Life Support through the American Medical Association. He is an American Heart Association Advanced Cardiac Life Support instructor.

Lou also has extensive administrative, clinical, and teaching experience at the university, hospital, school, and local government levels. He has been an EMS, fire, and rescue instructor since 1978 and teaches disaster management courses, EMS, and hazardous materials response courses.

You can contact Lou at:

Wheeling–Ohio County
Emergency Management Agency
1500 Chapline St.
Wheeling, WV 26003
Phone: 304-234-3756
Fax: 304-234-3816
E-mail: lvargo@wocema.com