By Heather Collins
Shane Booker is the new executive director of Hamilton County Emergency Management, which aims to keep Hamilton County residents prepared and informed in the event of an emergency.
A Noblesville native, Booker has more than 20 years of experience in management of public safety operations.
“It really is my passion, and I’m really excited to serve my home county,” he said.
Booker said his goals in his new role include improving the agency’s training program, standard operating procedures and social media presence and reviewing and updating the agency’s emergency plans and helping ensure municipalities are aware of recovery aspects required by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The agency consists of four full-time employees and one part-time employee who help maintain a state of readiness and coordinate information in the event of a local emergency or disaster.
Booker said he encourages Hamilton County residents to make a plan, build an emergency kit and stay informed to stay safe during an emergency. Full emergency planning tips can be found at ready.gov.
The mission of Hamilton County Emergency Management is to provide the county with logistical support to plan, prepare, mitigate, respond to and recover from natural, human-caused and accidental hazards.
The agency mainly works to coordinate available resources during emergencies and is the local link to the Indiana Dept. of Homeland Security and FEMA. The agency also helps to coordinate the weekly testing of tornado sirens and helps manage travel advisories for the county.
For information, download the Hamilton County Emergency Management app or follow the agency on Facebook and Twitter.
