News Detail

Shands Named Director Of Franklin County Department Of Emergency Services

Emergency Services

October 19, 2026

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. – The Franklin County Commissioners are pleased to announce that Eric Shands has been named director of Franklin County’s Department of Emergency Services (DES).

As DES Director, Shands will administer and direct the emergency management agency, hazardous materials program and the 911 communications center to coordinate safety activities and programs within the county. He replaces Mary K. Seville, who stepped down as director earlier this year.

“We are pleased to name Eric Shands as our new DES Director and we’re excited to see what he will do at the helm of the department,” said Franklin County Commissioner Chairman Dean Horst.

Shands joined DES in February 2025 as the department’s Operations and Training Officer. Prior to his time with Franklin County, Shands was the founder and owner of Warmsprings Salon & Spa, LLC. From 2003-2023, he led and grew the business’s two locations and its 50-plus employees to become a Top 200 Salon & Spa in the U.S. Shands also has experience in recruitment along with serving as a firefighter and emergency medical technician. He studied safety technology and business administration at Shepherd University as well as fire science at Northern Virginia Community College.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity and the confidence placed in me to lead this department,” said Shands. “DES is made up of dedicated and hardworking people who serve our community every day, often during its most difficult moments. My priority is to support those people, strengthen our teamwork, and build an organization where everyone understands their role and takes pride in what we accomplish together. We have a lot of work ahead of us, but I believe in this team and what we can accomplish moving forward.”

Franklin County’s DES provides a comprehensive emergency management system for the county and coordinates activities through five phases of emergency/disaster that can be natural, man-made, terrorist, hazardous material, chemical or technological in nature. DES handles all aspects of call receipt and processing for fire, emergency management services and law enforcement agencies – with the exception of the Pennsylvania State Police Chambersburg Barracks – to 22 municipalities in Franklin County.