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January 29, 2008

Fired EMA heads hired by Barrington security outfit

The state and Providence emergency management directors who were fired after the debacle of last month’s fast-moving snowstorm have been snapped up as emergency management consultants for a corporate and public-sector security consulting company in Barrington.

Robert J. Warren, the former executive director of the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency, and Leo Messier, the former director of the Providence Emergency Management Agency, have been retained for their emergency management expertise as part of the consulting work offered by Enright & Associates, Inc.

The company is headed by John J. Enright, former U.S. Secret Service agent and former director of counter-terrorism and law enforcement for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Rhode Island.

Enright announced Warren’s hiring today in a news release: “Bob Warren adds a level of experience and professionalism to our company that will provide our clients with the expertise they need to address the emergency preparedness challenges of the future, and the comfort of knowing that it is coming from one of the region’s most knowledgeable professionals.”

Messier’s biography also appears on the company Web site www.enrightassociates.com, where he’s noted for his emergency management experience and ability to capture federal grants. Enright said that the expertise both men have in emergency management planning and response will add to his company’s ability to help clients in the public and private sector with establishing plans for continuing their business and municipal operations during a crisis.

A posting for the job once held by Warren has now been posted by the state -- without requiring experience in emergency management or public safety. It was listed without notice on the state Department of Labor and Training’s Web site yesterday, with an application period that began yesterday and ends Friday.

Meanwhile, the association of local emergency directors in Rhode Island sent a letter to Governor Carcieri today urging him to bring Warren back.

The letter signed by the association’s president, West Warwick emergency director Thomas Senerchia, said the group was very disappointed in Carcieri’s decision to fire a man who was “responsive,” “dedicated to the cause,” and “very accessible.”

“The ‘storm’ of December 13 2007, was fast and furious and caught everyone of us by surprise. I don’t believe that anyone should be held responsible for this ‘act of God,’” the association’s letter stated. “You must know that Emergency Managers don’t self dispatch. We are NOT first responders. We are a supportive agency that provides help with every resource that we may have at our disposal BUT we MUST be asked for that help. We cannot simply ‘show up’ and impose ourselves on any municipality! This is NOT a military state and it should not be run as such! Please reconsider your firing of a man that took this agency to new heights and of a man that we all admired.”

-- Journal staff writer Amanda Milkovits

Posted by Mike McKinney  at 6:01 PM | Permalink

Comments

Pam | January 29, 2008 8:45 PM link

Dan Leighton | January 29, 2008 9:52 PM link

Jim Landi | January 29, 2008 10:20 PM link

Bill Palazzo | January 29, 2008 11:21 PM link

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