Training, planning, strategy, coordination, departmental support, and continued education are a few of the words that describe the day-to-day operations of the newest member of the University of Tennessee-Knoxville Office of Emergency Management.
Ian Sinclair, who has been with the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) for a little over a month, recently added another accomplishment to his tool belt. Sinclair graduated from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Basic Academy, which makes him an asset to OEM.
“We are excited to welcome Ian to the Office of Emergency Management,” said Office of Emergency Management Director Brian Gard. “Emergency management requires constant vigilance and a willingness to adjust to evolving hazards, complexities and technologies, and Ian holds the traits to excel in those areas.”
Sinclair, who was previously in the Environmental Health and Safety sector of Public Safety at UT-Knoxville, is no stranger to training or continuing education. He is a graduate of the New York Police Academy, as well as a graduate of the New York Firefighting Academy, holds a Master of Science in Higher Education, and is a current MBA candidate.
“The reason I’m in my current role is the investment that UT has made in me,” said Ian Sinclair. “UT sent me to the FEMA Basic Academy, has provided the opportunity to get the MS through its Employee Tuition Assistance Program, and is continuing to do so with the MBA program that I am enrolled in.”
Sinclair’s goal in continuing his education is to build a personal skill set that is unmatched in the Emergency Management world.
“I am very impressed that he achieved multiple advanced degrees and continued his professional development while working full-time,” said Gard. “Ian sets a great example, and his investment will play a critical role in campus preparedness, and he brings real world experience from his time as a NYPD officer and has such a commitment to lifelong learning.”
“My goal was to ensure that my personal skill set was evolving in ways that kept my proficiency in emergency management in alignment with the best practices that are currently being used,” said Sinclair. “An unexpected but very welcomed benefit of the FEMA Basic Academy program was the opportunity to develop professional relationships with representatives of emergency planning entities throughout the entire state of Tennessee.”
Whether it comes to supporting or perfecting current emergency planning operations, coordinating inter-department communications, working with other campus partners in support of campus-wide events as well as keeping an eye on both local and national emergency incidents, there’s never a boring day in OEM.
“Ian is a great asset to the Office of Emergency Management, and his evolving skillset is very valuable,” said Associate Vice Chancellor for Public Safety, Troy Lane. “When we have employees that take pride in advancing their careers with training and higher education, it not only adds a level of accomplishment for them, but for the entire Public Safety sector.”