Santa Fe Standard

Santa Fe County, New Mexico has appointed Don “Brad” Call as the new civilian Director of the Office of Emergency Management (OEM). Mr. Call brings a wealth of experience to his new role, having served in various capacities within emergency management for several years, including a four-year stint as the Director of Emergency Management for Cascade County, Montana.

Mr. Call's tenure in emergency management includes serving as a longstanding Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) member and acting as the lead Public Information Officer (PIO) for his CERT team in Arizona. He also held the position of Regional Emergency Preparedness Planner with Jackson County, Missouri, and was a team lead contractor providing support during Hurricane Harvey.

In terms of academic qualifications, Mr. Call holds a Bachelor's degree in Business and Human Resource Management from Northern Arizona University, a Master's degree in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix, and another Master's degree in Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security from Arizona State University.

The decision to establish an independent OEM focused solely on emergency management was a key recommendation made by the Santa Fe County OEM Task Force report adopted by the Board of County Commissioners late last year. “I look forward to working with Brad and the rest of the OEM team to expeditiously implement the remainder of the recommendations,” said County Manager Gregory S. Shaffer.

In response to his appointment, Mr. Call stated: “As your new OEM Director, I stand ready to serve this community and its citizens, working with them to be better prepared and ultimately resilient in the face of both natural and man-made disasters.” He expressed gratitude for the roadmap created by the SFC OEM Task Force and is eager to collaborate with all stakeholders to realize their vision.

One immediate priority for Mr. Call will be establishing a CERT team and a Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC).