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Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

N.C. paramedic gets Bibb EMA director nomination

Macon Mayor Robert Reichert would like to hire a North Carolina paramedic to replace longtime Emergency Management Agency Director Johnny Wingers, who retired earlier this year.

Michael Smith, of the Cabarrus County Emergency Management Services in Concord, N.C., still must be confirmed by the Macon City Council. But Reichert chose him after “a national search,” according to the mayor’s office.

“I hope for a speedy confirmation by City Council so that he may begin working with the Macon community immediately,” Reichert said in a written statement.

Smith’s nomination will be discussed Monday by the council’s Public Safety Committee, committee Chairman Virgil Watkins said.

Watkins said he doesn’t know much about Smith and that his candidacy will be considered by the committee.

But Watkins also said he likes the work interim Director LaTravius Smith has done since taking over for Wingers in August.

“I was looking forward to promoting from within,” Watkins said.

Smith’s application lists a slew of completed training courses and experience leading terrorism and disaster response teams in North Carolina.

He wants to move to Macon to be closer to family, according to the application.

“I have been searching for this opportunity for many years,” Smith wrote. “I currently love my position, but family and job are a perfect combination.”