The Gallatin County Emergency Management is supported by two full time staff and many volunteers who provide valuable support across many areas. Many of the people who support the program are listed below by their primary area of support, however everyone helps out regardless of the incident.
Staff
Chief of Emergency Management & Fire
Patrick is the Chief of Emergency Management & Fire for Gallatin County. Patrick has worked in emergency services since 1995 with backgrounds in emergency management, structural and wildland firefighting, emergency medical services, search and rescue, ski patrol, law enforcement, technical rescue, hazardous materials and incident management teams. In 2007 he joined the Bozeman Fire Department where he was responsible for the countywide emergency management program. With restructuring in 2019 he joined Gallatin County in his current role.
Patrick is active across Montana in emergency management and wildfire activities serving on several statewide and regional committees and organizations. He currently sits on the Northern Rockies Coordinating Group, Montana Mobilization Committee, and Montana County Fire Warden’s Board. Previously he served on the Montana State Emergency Response Commission, Montana Statewide Interoperability Governance Board, Senior Advisory Committee and Montana Association of Disaster and Emergency Services Coordinators Board. After close to 20 years on several incident management teams in various roles, Patrick is now the Deputy Incident Commander on Montana’s County Assist Team (IMT3).
Operations & Training Manager
Kevin is the Operations and Training Manager for Gallatin County Emergency Management. He is responsible for ensuring our equipment, systems, partners and more are ready to respond and supporting them when an incident occurs. He is also responsible for coordinating training and exercise activities. Kevin has worked in emergency services since 1995 with background in law enforcement, emergency medical services, search and rescue, and special response teams. In 1998 he was hired as a deputy sheriff with the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office where he worked until he retirement in early 2019. After retiring, Kevin joined emergency management in his current position.
Kevin spent 10 years as a marksman/ observer with the special response team participating in numerous law enforcement operations. He also served as a search and rescue coordinator for over 20 years managing missions for one of the busiest SARs organizations in Montana. Kevin is currently a Liaison Officer with a Northern Rockies Type 2 Incident Management Team and working towards his Helicopter manager qualifications.
Preparedness & Mitigation Manager
Jay is the Preparedness and Mitigation Manager for Gallatin County Emergency Management. He is responsible for supporting the many planning activities around the County ensuring all our plans are current and all the agencies are coordinated. He is also responsible for managing our wildfire mitigation program. Jay has spent the last 12 years working in land management agencies (Montana FWP and USDA Forest Service). Previous to that he worked as a carpenter and managed a customer service call center for a large outdoor company. Jay also spent time as a volunteer firefighter in Gallatin County as well as participating in deployments to large wildfires around the country. He was heavily involved in the early formation of Gallatin County Search and Rescue’s helicopter program and 13 years heavily involved with the Friends of the Gallatin National Avalanche Center group.
Health and Community Support Manager
John is the Health and Community Support Manager for Gallatin County Emergency Management. He is responsible for supporting the Public Health Emergency Preparedness Program, healthcare coordination, and community support functions like sheltering and distribution. John also supports the program with incident support operations. John spent the past 10 years with the National Park Service as a law enforcement ranger in numerous parks supporting law enforcement, emergency medical services and search & rescue activities. Previously he spent 10 years in the US Coast Guard. John brings a strong back ground of operating with the Incident Command System and emergency services helicopter operations.
Accounting Technician
Georgene is the Accounting Technician for Gallatin County Emergency Management. She is responsible for managing our accounts payable and receivables. A major function is management of the many grants utilized in the emergency management program and ensuring proper compliance with the grant awards with an AAS in Accounting. Georgene has a background in government, non-profit and private sectors focusing on accounting and grant management.
Wildfire Battalion Chief
Bob is the Wildfire Battalion Chief for Gallatin County Emergency Management. In addition to Gallatin County, Bob also supports Park, Meagher and Broadwater counties. Bob is responsible for supporting local fire departments with training and certification activities as well as supporting responses to wildfires. Bob has many decades of wildfire experience including certification in several key positions such as Type 2 Incident Commander, Type 2 Planning Section Chief, Liaison Officer and County Fire Advisor. Bob was previously an emergency manager for the State of Montana, the Park County Fire Warden and Fire Chief at Park County Fire District 1.
Emergency Management Program
Community Organizations Coordinator
Susan is the driving force in establishing and maintaining the Southwest Montana Community Organizations Active in Disaster (SWMCOAD). SWMCOAD brings together all the non governmental organizations that support disaster response across Gallatin, Park and Madison Counties.
Emergency Management Duty Officer
Jason is a retired Captain with the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office. He supports the emergency management program by providing incident support and backing up the career EM personnel. Jason also participates as a Liaison Officer on Northern Rockies Incident Management Teams.
Emergency Management Duty Officer
Jeremy is the Undersheriff with the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office. He supports the emergency management program by providing incident support and backing up the career EM personnel.
Emergency Management Duty Officer
Ladean is a Professor at MSU during the day. He supports the emergency management program by providing incident support and backing up the career EM personnel.
Emergency Management Duty Officer
Dustin is a Deputy Chief with Big Sky Fire Department. He supports the emergency management program by providing incident support and backing up the career EM personnel. Dustin is a Planning Section Chief with the County Assist Team.
Emergency Management Duty Officer
Jason is the search and rescue training manager for Gallatin County Search and Rescue. He supports the emergency management program by providing incident support and backing up the career EM personnel.
Public Information Officer
Deborah runs a private consulting company here in Bozeman. She supports local emergency services during incidents with public information support.
Public Information Officer
Whitney is the Communications Coordinator for Gallatin County. She supports local emergency services during incidents with public information support.
Wildfire Program
Deputy Fire Warden
Jeremiah is the Fire Chief at Gallatin Gateway Fire District and runs a welding company. He supports emergency management as a Deputy Fire Warden managing wildfires in county protection and supporting other agencies.
Deputy Fire Warden
Bryan is a retired Assistant Fire Chief from Central Valley Fire District. He participates in Logistics on Northern Rockies Incident Management Teams. He supports emergency management as a Deputy Fire Warden managing wildfires in county protection and supporting other agencies.
Deputy Fire Warden
Brian is the Fire Chief at Hyalite Fire Department. He supports emergency management as a Deputy Fire Warden managing wildfires in county protection and supporting other agencies.
Deputy Fire Warden
Luke works for Mystery Ranch on their wildland fire product line. Luke brings many years in wildfire from federal land management agencies. He supports emergency management as a Deputy Fire Warden managing wildfires in county protection and supporting other agencies.