Dickson Police Department’s Todd Christian has been promoted to major and designated as the director of the City of Dickson’s newly created Office of Emergency Management.
A 22-year law enforcement veteran, Christian will continue to lead the department’s Special Operations Division, which oversees training, equipment and the department fleet, and will continue his role as the department’s network coordinator with the Tennessee Highway Safety Office. As director of the OEM, Christian will add the responsibility of creating and implementing the city’s Emergency Operations Plan in response to natural and man-made disasters.
At its Jan. 9 meeting, the Dickson City Council approved Resolution #2023-3 to authorize and create the Office of Emergency Management. Police Chief Jeff Lewis told the council that the city would not be hiring a full-time director for the new office but would be adding those duties to an existing position.
A Dickson County native and graduate of Dickson County High School, Christian has worked at the Dickson Police Department since Aug. 3, 2000. He served as the patrol lieutenant overseeing 33 patrol officers before becoming captain of the Special Operations Division and the generalized departmental instructor for the department.
Prior to his career in law enforcement, Christian was a full-time firefighter with the Burns Fire Department where he was a shift captain. Since 1990 he has served as a volunteer with the Burns Fire Department and Dickson County Fire and Rescue.
“Maj. Christian’s extensive background in law enforcement and firefighting combined with his experience in designing and facilitating programs to train other officers make him an excellent choice to direct the formation of the new Office of Emergency Management,” said Chief Lewis. “He is well-versed in working with multiple emergency response agencies, which equips him to coordinate events in the City of Dickson that require a multi-pronged reaction to preserve lives and property.”
Maj. Christian is trained as a traffic crash reconstructionist, serving as one of the department’s leads in crash investigations. He is an instructor in crash investigation and crash reconstruction, teaching classes across Tennessee for the Tennessee Highway Safety Office. He is an investigator with Farmer Collision Analysis and investigates crashes across the state.
Maj. Christian also serves as a leader of the department’s Hostage Negotiator team.
He is an adjunct instructor for the Tennessee Highway Safety Office, Southeastern Training Group and the Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy in crash investigations, crash reconstruction and emergency vehicle operations.
Maj. Christian’s training and certifications include being a state police instructor in various fields, law enforcement aging driver specialist, school threat assessment, Bulletproof Leadership, terrorism incident defensive operations for emergency responders, first line supervisor, National Fire Protection Association classes in forcible entry, rescue and extrication, fire behavior, and ventilation, Tennessee Emergency Management Agency classes in Incident Command System for Expanding Incidents, domestic preparedness, recognizing and identifying hazardous materials, and emergency response to terrorism, Federal Emergency Management Agency classes in national response plan, incident command system for law enforcement, radiological emergency management, and national incident management system, National Fire Academy training as incident safety officer and recognizing and identifying hazardous materials, dive rescue international public safety diver, Tennessee Association of Rescue Squads trench rescue training, rescue responders basic and advanced rope rescue, International Association of Fire Fighters surviving hazmat incidents, Tennessee state fire school basic firefighting I and II and Interpersonal Effectiveness for Leaders.
He is a 2015 graduate of Leadership Dickson County.
According to the resolution creating the OEM, the director “shall have the authority to request the declaration of the existence of an emergency by the City Mayor.”
The director is responsible for the “preparation of all local emergency management plans and procedures and recruitment and training of local emergency response personnel from local government departments, private, volunteer and civic groups.”
The local response plan must be developed within the guidelines of the state plan and be approved by the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency.
The resolution establishes the director’s responsibilities to include:
• In conjunction with elected and appointed local government officials and private, volunteer and civic organizations, assist in the creation, revision and update of the Local Emergency Operations Plan and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs);
• Develop and manage the agency’s annual budget in accordance with local guidelines;
• Collect initial disaster intelligence information, extract essential elements of information and prioritize use of critical resources;
• Prepare and transmit Situation Reports to the State Emergency Operations Center;
• Assess the impact of major emergencies and initiate requests for declarations of emergency for the City of Dickson Mayor’s signature;
• Serve as the focal point for damage assessment information and coordinate all relief activities through the City Mayor;
• Promote and supervise the development of various emergency management related public education and information services. These include training programs, brochures, speaking opportunities and media programs;
• Develop and maintain an Emergency Operations Center to ensure direction and control and continuity of local government during emergencies and disasters;
• Conduct Hazardous Analysis, Capability Assessment and Vulnerability Analysis and make periodic updates to same;
• Be “On Call” for response to any type of disaster or major emergency; natural, manmade, or technological;
• Provide assistance to private sector organizations on issues pertaining to emergency management and homeland security;
• Provide resource coordination and technical assistance during major emergencies and disasters.
• Prepare after-action reports as required; and
• Perform other duties as directed by the City of Dickson Mayor.
The director also will organize and facilitate an Emergency Services Coordinator Group, a Local Emergency Planning Committee, a Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee and Emergency Management Executive Board that will assist in the development and implementation of the Emergency Operations Plan. These boards and committees can consist of elected officials, city department heads, and representatives of volunteer and civic organizations, businesses and industries.
Chief Lewis told the city council the city is considering creating an enclosed classroom at its training facility in J. Dan Buckner Park and proposes to equip it to serve as an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) from which disaster responses will be coordinated.
