Albert Ashwood
Encyclopedia
Albert Ashwood is American
emergency management
official from the State of Oklahoma. Ashwood is the current Director of the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management
(OEM). Ashwood has served as OEM Director since 1997 when he was appointed by Republican Governor of Oklahoma
Frank Keating
. Ashwood has since been retained by Democratic Governor Brad Henry
in 2003 and Republican Governor Mary Fallin
in 2011.
in 1977 and began working for OEM in 1988. Following his leadership during the 1995 Oklahoma City Bombing
, Governor Keating promoted Ashwood to Director of the Department.
Ashwood is currently the United States' longest serving State emergency management director. As OEM Director, Ashwood is responsible for preparing the State for natural disasters and for overseeing Statewide response to and recovery from such disasters. Ashwood reports to the Oklahoma Secretary of Safety and Security
and is responsible for overseeing an annual budget of almost $60 million.
On December 14, 2010, Governor-elect Mary Fallin
announced that she would retain Ashwood in his position as OEM Director in her Administration.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
emergency management
Emergency management
Emergency management is the generic name of an interdisciplinary field dealing with the strategic organizational management processes used to protect critical assets of an organization from hazard risks that can cause events like disasters or catastrophes and to ensure the continuance of the...
official from the State of Oklahoma. Ashwood is the current Director of the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management
Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management
The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management is a department of the government of Oklahoma responsible for coordinating the response to a natural disaster that has occurred in the State and that has overwhelmed the abilities of local authorities. This is achieved primarily through the...
(OEM). Ashwood has served as OEM Director since 1997 when he was appointed by Republican Governor of Oklahoma
Governor of Oklahoma
The governor of the state of Oklahoma is the head of state for the state of Oklahoma, United States. Under the Oklahoma Constitution, the governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the Oklahoma executive branch, of the government of Oklahoma...
Frank Keating
Frank Keating
Francis Anthony "Frank" Keating is an American politician from Oklahoma. Keating served as the 25th Governor of Oklahoma. His first term began in 1995 and ended in 1999...
. Ashwood has since been retained by Democratic Governor Brad Henry
Brad Henry
Charles Bradford "Brad" Henry was the 26th Governor of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected governor in 2002...
in 2003 and Republican Governor Mary Fallin
Mary Fallin
Mary Fallin is the 27th and current Governor of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. She was a U.S. Representative for from 2007 until 2011....
in 2011.
Career
Ashwood graduated from Muskogee High SchoolMuskogee High School
Muskogee High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school in Muskogee, Oklahoma. MHS has a steady enrollment of 1,700 students. It is accredited by the Oklahoma State Department of Education and the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association...
in 1977 and began working for OEM in 1988. Following his leadership during the 1995 Oklahoma City Bombing
Oklahoma City bombing
The Oklahoma City bombing was a terrorist bomb attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995. It was the most destructive act of terrorism on American soil until the September 11, 2001 attacks. The Oklahoma blast claimed 168 lives, including 19...
, Governor Keating promoted Ashwood to Director of the Department.
Ashwood is currently the United States' longest serving State emergency management director. As OEM Director, Ashwood is responsible for preparing the State for natural disasters and for overseeing Statewide response to and recovery from such disasters. Ashwood reports to the Oklahoma Secretary of Safety and Security
Oklahoma Secretary of Safety and Security
The Oklahoma Secretary of Safety and Security is a member of the Oklahoma Governor's Cabinet. The Secretary is appointed by the Governor, with the consent of the Oklahoma Senate, to serve at the pleasure of the Governor. The Secretary serves as the chief advisor to the Governor on public safety and...
and is responsible for overseeing an annual budget of almost $60 million.
On December 14, 2010, Governor-elect Mary Fallin
Mary Fallin
Mary Fallin is the 27th and current Governor of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. She was a U.S. Representative for from 2007 until 2011....
announced that she would retain Ashwood in his position as OEM Director in her Administration.