McLean County Emergency Management Chief of Operations Eric Hodges has announced the appointment of Brad Smith as the Acting Sergeant of Training and Safety. Smith joined the McLean County Emergency Management Agency in 2010. During his time with the agency, he has demonstrated his passion for both professional development and continuing to advance the discipline of Emergency Management within McLean County.

Acting Sergeant Smith graduated from Illinois State University in 2010 with a Bachelor's Degree in Biochemistry/Molecular Biology and earned his Master's Degree in Emergency and Disaster Management from American Public University in 2011. He holds his FEMA PDS certification and is a licensed Emergency Medical Technician-Basic with the State of Illinois. He has completed the basic ground search and rescue course within the Illinois Search and Rescue Council's SAR curriculum and will be pursuing certifications as a Search Manager and Technical Search Planner.

In his role as the Acting Sergeant of Training and Safety, Smith will oversee and manage the weekly Operations Team's training schedule as well as administer the Probation and Field Training coursework for new staff members. He will also work in conjunction with the agency's Search and Rescue Command Staff members to ensure that training within that discipline meets established objectives, that joint training opportunities exist among the SAR and Operations Team, and that team members hold the appropriate certifications for their respective areas of specialization. Acting Sergeant Smith currently works for the McLean County Health Department's Emergency Preparedness Coordinator under the AmeriCorps program. His promotion to the rank of Sergeant will be made official at a later date. His appointment as the Acting Sergeant of Training and Safety is effective immediately.