How to resolve AdBlock issue? CDP Superintendent to retire, June 2
ANNISTON, Ala. — After serving nearly four years as superintendent of FEMA’s Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) and concluding more than 32 years of public service to the nation, Dr. Christopher T. Jones has announced his retirement, effective June 2, 2012. Jones became CDP Superintendent in August 2008 and during his tenure oversaw the training of more than 336,000 emergency responders from across the nation. While serving as the Superintendent he led critical advances in training provided to the nation’s emergency response community by the CDP.
“Under Dr. Jones’ leadership, the CDP has significantly enhanced preparedness training for our nation’s first responders,” said Craig Fugate, FEMA Administrator. “Dr. Jones has overseen many improvements to the CDP, including the introduction of training using biological materials providing realistic, hands on training for responders. His work ensures that, moving forward, responders across the nation have the best training available to help them respond to acts of terrorism or natural disasters in their own communities. He will be missed at the CDP and across FEMA. I wish him the best in his retirement.”
Under Jones’ leadership CDP enhanced its toxic agent training by adding nonpathogenic forms of anthrax and ricin to the existing nerve agent training at the Chemical, Ordnance, Biological, and Radiological (COBRA) Training Facility. The training was in direct response to demand from first responders as well as homeland security documents pointing to the need for increased response capability in the U.S. to a biological attack. Jones also oversaw the renovation of several key training venues on the CDP campus in Anniston making greater use of critical technology to improve training realism. For example, the emergency department inside the Noble Training Facility was transformed into a modern, state-of-the-art training venue to prepare the healthcare, public health, and environmental health communities for mass casualty events related to catastrophic natural disasters or terrorist acts. He introduced energy saving efficiencies into daily operations and championed training partnerships with colleges and universities to further professionalize the emergency response profession. He also provided facilities and staff to support critical FEMA response operations following the April 2011 tornadoes in Alabama and Hurricane Irene later that same year.
“Having the opportunity to serve as the CDP superintendent these past four years has been the highlight of my career,” said Jones. “It’s been an honor to lead an organization with so many talented and incredibly motivated people. The CDP federal and contractor staff have my deepest gratitude. These dedicated men and women are the ones who make training happen for our students. I’m proud of the training improvements we’ve instituted over the past few years for our first responders and I know the CDP will continue to increase national preparedness.”
The Jones family will retire to Murphy, N.C.
FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
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