Michigan State Police Spl/Lt. Kevin Mark presents Lenawee County Emergency Management Coordinator Curtis Parsons the 2015 Michigan Professional Emergency Manager of the Year Award.
LANSING, Mich – Each week, West Michigan’s Most Wanted recognizes a member or members of law enforcement who’ve gone above and beyond the call of duty to help the community they serve.
This week, Curtis Parsons of Lenawee County is receiving recognition after being named the 2015 Michigan Professional Emergency Manager of the Year.
Parsons received an award during a special ceremony in Boyne City on October 8.
The Michigan State Police reserve the award for an emergency management professional who symbolizes outstanding professional ethics, displays leadership and innovation and provides outstanding contributions to the field of emergency management in our state.
“Mr. Parsons’ passion for emergency management statewide and nationwide made him an obvious choice for this year’s award,” said Capt Chris Kelenske, commander of the MSP Emergency Mangement and Homeland Security Division. “In addition to conducting his day-to-day duties as the Lenawee County Emergency Management Coordinator, he sits on a critical homeland security committee to represent the state’s interests on a national level. He is also a preparedness leader, always planning ahead and building relationships so his county is ready to respond to and recover from disasters.”
Parsons is a nearly 7 year veteran of Lenawee County Emergency Management and Homeland Security, also recognized for the research he’s conducted on active shooters in the work place. He carefully planned and executed a realistic and full-scale active-shooter exercise in Lenawee County that became a model for area school district according to an issued press release.
Since 2010, Parsons has been a member of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s State Local, Tribal and Territorial Government Coordinating Council, serving as its chairman for the last two years.
As the council’s liaison to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards program and Dam Sector, his responsibilities include providing recommendations to federal officials on initiatives to better protect and respond to disasters involving critical infrastructure and key resources.
Parsons has a bachelor’s degree in public safety and a master’s degree in homeland security and emergency management. He is a former member of the Lenawee County Technical Rescue Team and a lifetime achievement award recipient from the Lenawee County Fire Chiefs Association.
Parsons lives in Tecumseh with his wife, Gail. They have three children and seven grandchildren.
Congratulations to Mr. Parsons, the West Michigan’s Most Wanted Hero of the Week for October 31.
