Decatur, GA — DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond hs appointed a new emergency management director.

Joseph K. Cox became director of the DeKalb Emergency Management Agency (DEMA) effective July 25. He had been active DEMA director since February, and previously he was a county fire marshall for three years.

He had been the acting DEMA director since February 2020. Previously, he was the county fire marshal for three years.

“Director Cox has served DeKalb County with distinction and dedication for nearly four years,” Thurmond said in a press release. “During these challenging times, we need his steady hand and extensive experience as we deal with COVID-19 and other threats to the health and safety of our citizens.”

Cox, a native of North Carolina, is responsible for making sure all county departments are able to operate during an emergency, including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“DEMA is also responsible for CodeRED, the countywide emergency notification system,” the press release from the county says. “This opt-in system provides rapid notification to residents and businesses about emergency events within DeKalb County. Director Cox manages a staff of six and an annual budget of nearly $1 million.”

He has worked 20-years in fire services, specializing in emergency management, fire investigations, fire inspections, and fire prevention, the county said. The press release says he is an accredited ProBoard IAAI Certified Fire Investigator, NFPA Certified Fire Inspector II, IFSAC Fire Life Safety Educator, and GA Certified Firefighter. His education includes master’s and doctorate degrees in theology.

[adsanity id=”59104″ align=”alignleft” /] [adsanity id=”56211″ align=”alignright” /]

[adsanity id=”61010″ align=”alignleft” /] [adsanity id=”59208″ align=”alignright” /]

Decaturish.com is working to keep your community informed about coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. All of our coverage on this topic can be found at Decaturishscrubs.com. If you appreciate our work on this story, please become a paying supporter. For as little as $3 a month, you can help us keep you in the loop about what your community is doing to stop the spread of COVID-19. To become a supporter, click here. 

Want Decaturish delivered to your inbox every day? Sign up for our free newsletter by clicking here. 

[adsanity id=”56022″ align=”aligncenter” /]

[adsanity id=”59106″ align=”alignleft” /]  [adsanity id=”52166″ align=”alignright” /]