Kyle Veach, Hancock County Emergency Management Agency Director
Kyle Veach is the Hancock County Emergency Management Agency Director, Captain at Station 5 of Owensboro Fire Department and has been a part-time EMT in Hancock County since 2010.
For the last 3 years, Veach has served as EMA Director. He says that it has been, “the highlight of my career to serve my hometown.”
The Fire and Rescue Squad in Hancock County is 100% volunteer and Kyle said that the numbers of the volunteers are shrinking every year.
“I would encourage anyone who has the time and dedication to put in, to reach out to their local fire department or rescue squad in the county and see about volunteering. It’s definitely worthwhile. It takes dedication. But, the reward in the end is worth the time and effort that you put into it. Emergency services in a small county like this, don’t come without their heartache.
When you go to help someone in need, it is always going to be your neighbor, a friend, or a family member. You truly are helping the ones you know and love.”
Veach says to reach out via Facebook and they will put you in contact with the right people. The equipment and training are provided. www.facebook.com/
“First responders in the county, they wear their scars on the inside. Despite all of the tragedy and heartbreak they’ve seen, they still get up in the middle of the night to go and help their neighbor in need. I think that speaks volumes for the caliber of people we have in this county who are willing to dedicate their lives to serving others in the county.”
He said that it has been his dream to become a firefighter, since he was young. “I had a small section of garden hose tied to my bicycle and that was my ‘fire hose’. I would play in the yard, playing fireman. As soon as I turned 18, I joined the local fire department here (in Hancock County).”
Kyle and his wife, Amy Suzanne, met at FFA Camp when they were both still in high school. She was a Junior in high school in Paducah and he was a Sophomore at Hancock County High School. She encouraged him to become a firefighter, he said, because she knew he enjoyed it so much.
Veach graduated from HCHS in 2001, earned his Associate Degree in Finance from OCC, and continued his education at Eastern Kentucky University. He earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Fire, Arson & Explosion Investigation, as well as his EMT certification, and completed an internship at Richmond Fire Department, from 2003-2005.
Kyle and Amy were married in 2005 when he was hired full time at the fire department.
In 2010, Veach and his family moved back to Hancock County to be near the family farm, “to raise sweet corn, kids and tomatoes,” Veach says. He transferred to Owensboro Fire Department and was a part-time EMT for HC, until he started the EMA Director position.
His parents are Dennis and Mika Veach. He and his brothers, Stephen and Jonathon, and their dad have a cattle farm together.
Kyle and Amy have three children. Nolan is 14, a Freshman and football player at HCHS. Kyleigh is 12 and in the 7th grade at HCMS. And Raegan is 7-months-old.
