2023 Fall Conference Session Slides and Certification/Award Presentation Photos
North Carolina Emergency Management
2023 Fall Conference
October 9th – 11th, 2023
Wilmington, North Carolina
Fall Conference Agenda:
Fall Conference Presentations:
The North Carolina Emergency Management Association wishes to “Thank” the members
of the Training Branch of the North Carolina Division of Emergency Management
for both their conference audio/visual support and their acquisition of the below
PowerPoint presentations; we really appreciate their assistance.
NC SBI Criminal Apprehension Team
NCEM WebEOC Updates and 2024 Roadmap
Animal Emergency Response Working Group
National Weather Service Seasonal Outlook
Introducing National Weather Service’s Chat 2.0
Where Local Emergency Management and Complex Hazardous Materials Incidents Meet
Emergency Management Certification Programs Overview – Apprenticeship Certificate
Emergency Management Certification Programs Overview – NCEM Certification
North Carolina Joint Cybersecurity Task Force
Essential Elements for Requesting Assistance for a State Disaster
NCEMA Peer Support & Chaplaincy Program
Closing COVID-19 Public Assistance Projects
North Carolina CHEMPACK Program Overview
Get Your Grant On -Tips for Writing Successful Grant Applications for CBCG, HSGP, NSGP and SLCGP
Fall Conference Photographs:
Hotel Ballast and Wilmington, North Carolina
NCEMA Executive Committee Meeting (Pre-Conference Event)
The North Carolina Emergency Management Association conducted its October 2023
monthly meeting on Sunday afternoon in conjunction with the “2023 Fall Conference.”
“Opening Ceremonies”
Michelle Brock (Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Emergency Management
and our North Carolina Emergency Management Association President) presided
over the North Carolina Emergency Management 2023 Fall Conference “Opening Ceremonies.”
……….
Gordon Deno (Wilson County Emergency Management Director
and our Association’s Chaplain) provided our conference prayer.
We want to “thank” the “consolidated” New Hanover Fire Department, Wilmington Fire
Department and Wilmington Police Department Color Guard for their participation in the
“Presentation of Colors Ceremony” during the Conference Opening Ceremonies.
Then, Anna McRay (Assistant Director, New Hanover County Emergency Management)
introduced Bill Rivenbark, Chairman of the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners
who provided an official “Welcome” to both the conference and to the local community.
North Carolina Division of Emergency Management Director Will Ray also “Welcomed” everyone to the Fall Conference
and provided a short overview of “state-level” emergency management activities across North Carolina.
……….
Then, Angie Ledford (Buncombe County Emergency Management and NCEMA Program
Committee Chairman) provided a review of the 2023 Fall Conference agenda and
other associated activities prior to the close of our “Opening Ceremonies”……
At the Monday Evening President’s Reception
Fall Conference Presenters
The “2023 Fall Conference” began with Special Agent Eric Armstrong (North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation)
discussing the functions and capabilities of both the NC SBI’s Criminal Apprehension Team and the
North Carolina Missing Person and Fugitive Task Force and how these organizations
can be called upon to assist emergency management during critical incidents.
Luke Withrow (North Carolina Division of Emergency Management WebEOC Administrator)
provided an overview of new boards and features available in NCSPARTA……
including a demonstration of the Organization Profiles, Statewide Events, Statewide Contacts,
and Statewide Locations boards and a preview of the new Event Reporting board (to replace EM43).
Dr. Anna Allen (Eastern Region Emergency Programs Veterinarian for the North Carolina
Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services’ Emergency Programs Division), along with……
…… Daniel Webb (Emergency Services Coordinator for Edgecombe County) and Samantha Royster
(Program Manager for the Community Emergency Response Team and Radiological Emergency Volunteer Corps
programs for the North Carolina Division of Emergency Management) provided an overview of the
“North Carolina Animal Emergency Response Working Group” including the organization’s
training and resources available to first responders for animal response across North Carolina.
The conference’s first day concluded with an examination of the large-scale weather pattern and climate features
that may impact North Carolina’s weather during the next six months that was provided by
Nick Petro (Warning Coordination Meteorologist at the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Raleigh, NC).
The session also included a segment on weather tools that are available for winter weather situation awareness.
Tuesday morning saw Nick Petro (Warning Coordination Meteorologist at the National Weather Service
Forecast Office in Raleigh) providing a second session; this time discussing the recent upgrading of its instant
messaging program, “NWS Chat.” The presentation reviewed new features and function of “NWS Chat 2.0,
and served as a basic tutorial outlining how NWS core partners can register and set up on the program.
Jeremy Knighton (Chief of Emergency Management and Special Operations for the City of Asheville
Fire Department) explored the intricate intersection of emergency management and hazardous materials
through a discussion of case studies examining the challenges and complexities that arise
when addressing incidents ranging from mass overdose and chemical suicide
to potential local acts of terrorism involving hazardous substances.
Michelle Brock (an Emergency Management Coordinator and Training Officer
with the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Emergency Management Office) joined……
……Ross Patterson (an Emergency Management Coordinator and Logistics and Infrastructure Officer for the
Winston Salem/Forsyth County Office of Emergency Management Office) and Robin Brown
(North Carolina Division of Emergency Management’s Central Branch Office Area 10 Coordinator) to provide
an overview of the North Carolina Emergency Management Certification Program, the International Association
of Emergency Managers’ (IAEM’s) Certification Program, North Carolina Emergency Management’s
Apprenticeship Program and the North Carolina Training and Standards Advisory Board.
Then Mike Greer (Deputy Homeland Security Section Chief with the North Carolina Division
of Emergency Management) led a multi-agency panel discussion that included……
……Christopher Chappell (Cyber Operations Specialist with the Homeland Security Section of the
North Carolina Division of Emergency management), Major Brian Glish (Division Chief for the
Cyber and Mission Command Division of the North Carolina Army National Guard,
Ted Norris (Deputy IT Director for Onslow County)……
…… Special Agent Jessica Nye (a member of the FBI’s Cyber Squad in Raleigh,
North Carolina), Steven Robinson (United States Secret Service) and Eric Zach
(Chief Information Security Officer for the North Carolina Department of
Information Technology) who together discussed the history, organizational
structure and role of the North Carolina Joint Cybersecurity Task Force.
Brian Snell (Public Assistance Grants Management Supervisor for the North Carolina Division of
Emergency Management), Shonda Corbett (Grants Manager Supervisor for the North Carolina Division of
Emergency Management’s Western Branch) and YeVon Adams (Recovery Individual Assistance Program
Supervisor for the North Carolina Division of Emergency Management) provided an overview
the steps for requesting a State Disaster and a discussion of
“county thresholds” and debris management for local governments.
Gordon Deno (Emergency Management Director for Wilson County and our Association’s Chaplain),
Gail Shue (Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Trauma Systems Nurse Coordinator and
Triad Regional Critical Incident Stress Management Group member),
Victoria Cortes (Emergency Management Planner for Henderson County) and…….
……Robert Reece (Emergency Management Coordinator and Operations & Exercise Officer for the
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Office of Emergency Management) discussed the North Carolina Emergency
Management Association’s “Peer Support and Chaplaincy Program”……a program to create a team of peers
across our emergency management community in North Carolina to support each other in time of need.
Michelle Tuck (Field Training Supervisor with the North Carolina Division of Emergency Management)
reviewed the process of state sponsored training; including updates and changes made
over the past several years and a quick overview of how the
Integrated Preparedness Planning Workshops are working and what will come next.
Wednesday morning began with Todd Wright (Assistant Director of Recovery for the North Carolina Division of
Emergency Management), Martel Privette (FEMA Public Assistance Officer) and Meghan Hicks reviewed
small and large project closeout requirements, programmatic deadlines, disposition requirements
and account closeout requirements for the FEMA COVID-19 Public Assistance disaster declaration.
Timothy Davis (Medical Countermeasures Coordinator with the North Carolina Division of Public Health)
provided an overview of CHEMPACK program operations and highlight key partnerships and planning
considerations emergency managers should consider for their local nerve agent response plans.
Derek Dorazio (North Carolina Division of Emergency Management Compliance Officer and Grants Branch
Manager), Janene Childs (North Carolina Division of Emergency Management grants team member)……
……Lisa Patton (North Carolina Division of Emergency Management grants team member),
Bradley Garrett (Grants Management Administrator for the North Carolina Division of
Emergency Management’s Eastern Branch) and Michelle Strong (North Carolina Division
of Emergency Management grants team member) discussed the importance of submitting
competitive grant applications that are complete, detailed and strategically focused on organizational goals.
During the Conference “Breaks”
NCEMA “Lifetime Members” Attending the Fall Conference
NCEMA “Lifetime Members” attending the Fall Conference included Doug Logan,
Gary Jones, Gary Pope, Randy Thompson, Roger Dail, Shane Seagrove ……
……and Yancy King (who, that afternoon, had been voted as a “new”
“Lifetime Member” of our North Carolina Emergency Management Association).
Visiting with the Vendors……
“Thanks” to them for making our conference a success.
Vendor “Passport Contest” Winner
Raena Cabrera was selected as the winner of the Vendor “Passport Contest”……
receiving a $50 gift certificate from NCEMA Program Committee representative Robin Brown.
The contest was sponsored by “On-Target Preparedness” and involved documenting
(i.e., on a “passport”) individual visits to conference vendor booth locations.
“Networking” and the Banquet
North Carolina Emergency Management Association Awards
The James F. Buffalo Award is presented to the person(s) outside of the Emergency Management
family who has exhibited outstanding support and leadership to emergency management agencies.
The 2023 Award Winner was the was the “North Carolina HERricane Experience” Development Team for their
development/implementation of the program designed to increase awareness of emergency management
and public safety careers and provide professional development opportunities to young women.
The Vance E. Kee Award is presented to the Local Emergency Management Staff
Person who has demonstrated outstanding achievement in their local
Emergency Management program, through promoting Emergency
Management among other County and State agencies and elected officials.
The 2023 Award Winner was was Zach Shean
(Emergency Management Coordinator, Harnett County Emergency Management).
The Colonel William A. Thompson Award is presented to the North Carolina Division of
Emergency Management Employee who has demonstrated outstanding achievement in assisting
Local Emergency Management Coordinators with programs, incidents and information.
The 2023 Award Winner was Eric Wiseman (Area 13 Coordinator,
Western Branch Office of the North Carolina Division of Emergency Management).
The Colonel Phillip Nichlos Waters Award is presented to the Local Emergency Management Coordinator/Director
who has demonstrated outstanding achievement in their local Emergency Management program and has
contributed to the overall good and advancement of the Emergency Management System in the State.
The 2023 Award Winner was James E. Groves (Director, Durham City/County Emergency Management).
Michelle Brock (outgoing NCEMA President) recognized Gary Jones (Executive Director, NCEM Association)
and Gordon Deno (Emergency Management Director, Wilson County) as the
“2023 NCEMA President’s Award” recipients for their dedication, support and contributions
beyond what was required to the North Carolina Emergency Management Association.
Newly elected North Carolina Emergency Management Association President Stacie Miles
(Onslow County) congratulates “out-going” President Michelle Brock (Winston-Salem/Forsyth County)
for her leadership and dedication during the past year of her service.
Then……Stacie spoke briefly concerning her hopes for the future for our Association and then
she “closed out” the Banquet by “thanking” those who worked so hard to make the evening a success.