The Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency (VITEMA) welcomes Bruce L. Kelly to its senior leadership executive team as deputy director of operations.
As deputy director, Kelly is charged with organizing daily operational activities within VITEMA and with coordinating emergency management activities between local, state and federal departments and agencies along with direct oversight of the territory’s 911 Emergency Communication and Emergency Operations Centers.
Deputy Director Kelly assumed his position on April 14, and he brings to VITEMA a wealth of experience in leadership and broad-spectrum emergency management. Kelly honorably retired from the U.S. Army in 2018 as a first sergeant. Having served over 30 years between two branches of the U.S. Armed Forces (U.S. Army and Air Force) some of his many positions and training were: chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive (CBRNE) specialist; hazard prediction modeler; operations section non-commissioned officer in charge; Joint Operations Center manager; U.S. Army State Partnership instructor in search and rescue, leadership and emergency management; military emergency management specialist; adjunct instructor to the Texas Military Emergency Management Academy; FEMA Incident Command System (ICS) instructor; Advanced and Complex Incident Emergency Management certification; Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA) senior level certification; and Six Sigma trained.
Kelly is uniquely prepared and skilled by way of his real-world experiences and formal training. He is committed to the territory’s preparedness, response capability and recovery from any disaster.
“I want the community to know that I am here to support the dynamic set of professionals at VITEMA, most [of whom] I have worked with for a long time in various capacities. My goal is to enhance the territory’s emergency response and recovery posture. I will strive to strengthen already established local, regional, and federal bonds, and I will work diligently to forge new partnerships, with respect to emergency operations and management,” he said. “This is my forte, my passion. For me, this is more than just a mere job.”
Kelly reminds the community that the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season begins on June 1, and households should begin focusing on their preparedness plans and take actionable steps.
For more information on the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season, residents can sign-up for Alert VI at www.vitema.vi.gov.
