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February 25, 2008

Retired Marine to head Providence emergency agency

PROVIDENCE -- A retired Marine Corps colonel has been appointed to head the city’s Emergency Management Agency and office of Homeland Security.

In a statement released today, Mayor David N. Cicilline said Lt. Col. Peter T. Gaynor wasn’t someone who had just planned for a crisis. “He’s actually experienced them and proven himself to be ready and capable," Cicilline said.

The appointment comes two months after Cicilline fired Leo Messier from the position, citing mismanagement of the Dec. 13 snowstorm that left children stranded on school buses and caused gridlock on the highways.

Gaynor worked as a manager for operations during the U.S. Marine Corps headquarters after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks and worked security for the president at Camp David.

Gaynor, who steps into the job today, said in the statement that his crisis management and leadership skills “were honed under that pressure of real-world events,” and that the would “help to ensure that Providence is prepared to rapidly respond in a coordinated and strategic manner to extraordinary incidents that may threaten the safety of residents, commuters and visitors to the City of Providence.”

Posted by Brandie Jefferson  at 11:21 AM | Permalink

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margaret m gentile | February 25, 2008 12:53 PM link

me | February 25, 2008 1:26 PM link

Dan | February 25, 2008 5:26 PM link

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