Goodrich – Grace Ranger, of Goodrich, has been Genesee County’s Emergency Director since 1997. This year, she was named 2003 Professional Emergency Manager of the Year.
“The award itself is quite an honor,” said Ranger, “it’s very, very coveted by emergency managers at the local level. But it isn’t just me who deserves the award, it took teamwork. Without the cooperation of everyone, I wouldn’t be getting the award.”
Ranger “exponentially” fosters teamwork, said Lori Hornbeck, spokesperson for the Michigan State Police Emergency Management Division.
“She’s conducted full-scale exercises every year with about 35 agencies, she conducts disaster drills, trains safety areas, she’s worked on training with MSU public health officials. She’s very hands-on,” said Hornbeck.
Although unwelcome, disaster has not been unexpected during Ranger’s seven years as emergency director. Ranger and the county’s emergency agencies have dealt with a tornado, a nursing home explosion, a propane tank explosion, a school shooting, a flood, an apartment complex fire, a plastics explosion, and a blizzard.
Mock disasters help prepare for such unfortunate tragedies, says Ranger, who conducted a disaster drill this June in which area agencies responded to an enactment of toxic bioterrorism chemicals left on a bus in a backpack.
Ranger received the award at the 2003 Summit on Hazardous Material and Terrorism, she said.