Coker settles in as county emergency management coordinator
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Gregory Coker was named Young County emergency management coordinator in June. Prior to taking the position he served as AH-6 Bird attack helicopter pilot in the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, also known as the Night Stalkers. (Leader photo by Nathan Lawson)
Former Army Special Forces veteran Gregory Coker has finished his second month in the Young County emergency management coordinator position and is hard at work updating the emergency operations plan.
The veteran said his job entails planning, preparing and directing emergency response activities for things such as natural disasters like tornadoes, fires and flooding or man-made like a hazardous material spill. He said this is a position held by many throughout the nation.
“All throughout this country we have the National Incident Management System, NIMS,” Coker said. “Under NIMS falls ICS, our incident command system, in the event of any emergency; man-made, natural, about anything you can think of, there are emergency managers for local, state and federal (governments) throughout the country.”
Coker was named to the EMC position on June 20 by Young County Judge John Bullock which was announced in the June 24 Commissioner’s Court meeting. The commissioners met Coker because the veteran had applied for the veteran’s service officer position which was filled by Douglas Magneson in April.
“I think the conversation after your interviewed (for the veteran’s service officer) position was about how well the (EMC) position would fit you,” Pct. 1 Commissioner Mike Sipes said in the June meeting. “I’m glad that the judge has followed up on you. I think he has found somebody that can fill the bill and we will just wait and see how your performance is.”
The EMC position in the past has been filled by the Young County Judge, Sheriff or other personnel. Coker said he will be one of the first EMCs to not have another role within in the county.
Prior to his time as EMC, Coker said he grew up in East Texas before joining the Army where he spent over 20 years including 15 of them as an AH-6 Bird attack helicopter pilot in the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, also known as the Night Stalkers.
For the rest of the story, see the Saturday, Aug. 24 edition of The Graham Leader.
