The 2018 hurricane season officially ended on Nov. 30, but the area’s emergency management professionals must continue planning for the public’s safety. Certifications and continued training are part of an EMA director, or deputy director’s, path to success.
Larry Logan is the state of Georgia’s contact person for Liberty County’s emergency management during critical situations. Logan was recently promoted to Liberty County EMA Deputy Director, which falls under the county’s public safety department, led by Public Safety Director Mike Hodges, according to Liberty County Administrator Joey Brown. Hodges oversees LCEMA’s daily operations, with Logan acting as his right hand, Brown confirmed.
Logan’s point-of-contact designation with the Georgia Emergency Management Agency was approved by Homer Bryson, director of GEMA/HS (Homeland Security), in a letter sent to the county last summer. Bryson wrote, “The day-to-day emergency management operational responsibilities are extremely important, since it reflects the organization’s capability to effectively respond to an emergency or disaster situation.”
“Larry is doing a great job guiding the daily operations as deputy director of EMA under our public safety division,” Brown said. “Working with Director Hodges and the public safety team, they have helped prepare our community for emergency readiness. The entire team has been outstanding as a unit in our most recent challenges.”
“Having been in the trenches with Larry Logan through the past three storm events I have been impressed by his leadership, commitment and care and concern for the safety of the citizens of Liberty County,” Commission Chairman Donald Lovette said. “Larry’s military background, involvement in ministry, unselfish leadership style and his love for this community have well equipped him for the position he holds. With Larry it is true, ‘what a man loves, he will do well.’ Liberty County is blessed to have him aboard.”
Logan began employment with the County in 2010.
Long County EMA Director Ed Brewer was awarded a Georgia State Certification in Emergency Management (CEM) by GEMA this past summer. Brewer came aboard at Long County when Bob Hefley retired. Since Brewer began his tenure with Long County EMA, he has experienced Hurricanes Hermine, Matthew and Michael, several missing person cases and an incident in 2016, when an unstable man with partially-assembled explosives strapped to his body engaged in a day-long standoff with Long County Sheriff’s deputies. Brewer assisted by reporting the emergency to senior officials. No one was injured in that incident.
Brewer graduated Central Texas College with degrees’ in Emergency Management and Homeland Security along with General Studies degree.
“Certifications are an important part of career and professional advancement in emergency management,” Brewer said. “They offer professionals opportunities to show they have met specific and recognizable benchmarks for the state they work in, nationally or internationally. Many job announcements will ask for some form of certification, so it is always better to have and not need, than to need and not have.”
To earn the CEM, Brewer had to show he had emergency management professional experience, have earned 100 hours in emergency management training, have made at least six separate contributions to the profession – in the form of professional memberships, speaking engagements, or authoring articles, write a comprehensive essay to demonstrate his emergency management experience, skills and abilities – and pass a 100-question multiple choice exam.
The Liberty County Emergency Management Agency will schedule a series of stakeholders’ meetings following an initial meeting set for officials at 9 a.m. Feb. 6, in the commission meeting room at the courthouse annex, 100 South Main Street, in Hinesville, ahead of the 2019 hurricane season. Logan said the public can attend subsequent meetings during the year to suggest how the county can best identify shortfalls or needed community resources when discussing preparation and response to natural disasters, such as storms, floods and fires.