In late August, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam announced the appointment of David W. Purkey as the State Director of the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA). Purkey has served as interim director of TEMA since the April retirement of Jim Bassham, former CUSEC Board Chairman. Mr. Purkey has held a variety of public safety and emergency management positions including serving as Morristown-Hamblen County Emergency Management Director, Tennessee State Trooper, and a Special Agent for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Chattanooga region. He has been a licensed emergency medical technician for 35 years and also served in the Tennessee Army National Guard and United States Army Reserves. Mr. Purkey will continue to serve as the Governor’s Homeland Security Advisor and Assistant Commissioner for the Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Haslam also reappointed Purkey to the Tennessee Medical Examiner Advisory Council.
Please join CUSEC in welcoming Mr. Purkey to the Board of Directors and congratulating him on his appointment as Director of TEMA.
