FLORENCE, AZ – At their regular public meeting yesterday, the Pinal County Board of Supervisors introduced the county’s new Emergency Management Director, Lou Miranda. Miranda previously served as Director of Emergency Management for Yuma County but also has a background as a budget and management analyst.

“Much of what the Emergency Management staff does is funded by state and federal grants. Lou’s background will be extremely valuable. The grant funding process becomes more competitive each year,” said Greg Stanley, Pinal County’s Public Works Director.

Emergency Management is one of the disciplines under Public Works because since most emergencies require the mobilization of personnel along with heavy equipment, barricades and so forth. Pinal County’s Emergency Management Section has responded to major floods, power outages, forest fires, tire fires and other large and small-scale crises.

Miranda also managed environmental programs for Yuma County. Prior to joining county government, Miranda served as Lieutenant Colonel in the US Marine Corps. He currently serves in the US Marine Corps Reserve.

In addition to his 23 years of military service, Miranda also is a licensed first responder, fire fighter, paramedic, Arizona certified Hazardous Materials Technician and is an instructor for the Arizona Division of Emergency Management. Miranda is a graduate of Norwich University and holds a master’s degree in Business Management. He also serves as a Terrorism Liaison Officer with the Arizona Counter Terrorism Information Center.

Shortly after being introduced to the Board of Supervisors, Miranda watched one of his staff members receive statewide honors.

Pinal County’s Emergency Management personnel have recently garnered two prestigious awards. The first award was from the Arizona Emergency Services Association for Excellence in Emergency Management. Art Carlton earned the award for his efforts to coordinate Emergency Response and Recovery plans among the County’s nine cities and towns, four tribal nations and more than 20 fire districts.

According to the Arizona Emergency Services Association, the honor goes to individuals who have “shown dedication to the pursuit of excellence in emergency management and whose actions have significantly improved emergency management in their company, community or the state of Arizona.”

Mike Simpson, Emergency Management Administrator for Pinal County today received recognition from the Board of Supervisors for honors from the Arizona Department of Education’s Emergency Response Advisory Council. Simpson was recognized for his efforts to assist schools in developing emergency response plans and continuity of operations plans that are consistent with the National Incident Management System (NIMS) protocols. Simpson was given a plaque from the Department of Education in recognition of his outstanding contributions to school safety in Arizona.

“Walking into a situation with this staff and their years of experience makes me feel honored and privileged to have been chosen for this position,” Miranda said. “When an emergency happens, it is going to take all of us coordinating together to ensure the safety of our residents in Pinal County.”

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