Stillwell Appointed to Emergency Communication Coordination Working Group
Edmond's Emergency Management Director Selected by FEMA for Advisory Group
William Peterson, Region Six Regional Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently announced the selection of Matt Stillwell as a charter member of the Regional Emergency Communication Coordination Working Group (RECCWG). Stillwell is the City of Edmond’s Director of Emergency Management and 911/Central Communications.
“It is an honor to be selected to the Regional Emergency Communication Coordination Working Group,” said Stillwell. “I look forward to the opportunity to discuss the issues and challenges we face today in the area of interoperable communications.
“This group of public safety communications professionals will identify solutions to issues that affect the response to both large scale and localized incidents. We will benefit at the national and regional levels during events like Katrina and the World Trade Center attack while seeing improved communication on smaller, localized events requiring response from several agencies.”
The Working Group includes representatives of state and local government who will advise Peterson on the survivability, sustainability, interoperability, expanded use of emergency management and public safety communications mutual aid agreements, and coordination among stakeholders.
Other charter members of the group from Oklahoma include Will Borden with the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety; Rick Bays with the Department of State Health Services; and Putnam Reiter with the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management.
The Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 required FEMA’s Regional Offices to develop the working groups to improve regional readiness and response.
For more information about the City of Edmond’s Emergency Management Department, visit edmondok.com.
Issued: January 04, 2008
