With public interest in state security and disaster preparedness at an all time high, New Hampshire has a new director of emergency management: State Fire Marshall Don Bliss. Bliss replaces Woody Fogg, who earlier this week resigned from the job he?s held since 1997.
Wednesday?s swearing in of Don Bliss took place as soon as his nomination cleared the executive council. The quick turnaround filled the void left by the surprise resignation of Woody Fogg. A development the Governor acknowledged with a terse press release and a clenched jaw.
'Could you explain the circumstances surrounding Woody Fogg?s resignation?
I?m not going to comment on that.'
The Governor was, however, a bit more easygoing while positing Bliss?s appointment as only natural since Bliss did lead her commission on preparedness and security. But Shaheen also considers the appointment something of a sea change at the OEM.
'I thought Don Bliss would bring an important perspective of someone who could look with new eyes on the very new threats and different issues post September 11th.'
Why those new eyes are necessary, however, is not entirely clear. The preparedness and security commission?s report found no glaring shortcomings at the OEM. And in the words of Eric Talbert, President of the national association of Emergency managers, Fogg?s was
'Highly competent. He has been a regular providing congressional input and congressional testimony on our behalf.'
Talbert also says Fogg?s stature was only likely to grow because of his leadership position on of national commission on terrorism.
'I reappointed him as co-chair on September 12th I found his skill and insight to be very good. He stood out among his peers as having particular insight into that area.'
But if insight into terrorism is one thing, a working knowledge of exactly how to best implement new procedures may be another. That was a point Fire Marshall Bliss made plain. After his confirmation, Bliss stressed the logic of having someone with a lengthy public safety background running things at the OEM.
'It?s a natural fit to the fire service because fire, police, emergency medical folks are the first responders to any of these the incidents.'
Bliss says his first priority will be bolstering statewide Hazmat coverage. He also wants to foster better cooperation between state agencies to maximize the effect of the millions of federal dollars the state is hoping to collect in FEMA anti-terror grants. According to National Emergency Managers association president Eric Talbert, state OEM?s have a lot of leeway in how such funds get spent.
'There is a lot of discretion for the utilization of funds for preparedness as long as they accomplish risk reduction that can be documented.'
Talbert also says allocation issues tend to be informed by under whose purview the office of OEM functions. New Hampshire is one of the 10 states where the OEM operates out of the governor?s office. In about half the states it?s a creature of the state military. In the bulk of the remainder it is a branch of public safety.......the governmental sector in which Bliss has served since 1992. And the New OEM manager isn?t shy in hinting that he plans on rejoining safety when the time is right.
'This is a temporary situation. My roots are in the fire service and I will retain the position of state fire marshall.'
According to the Governor?s office there is no timetable for Bliss?return to the fire service, nor is there a search underway for a permanent OEM manager.
