With over thirty five years of emergency management experience, Kevin Nelson has had comprehensive and results oriented success while working in, leading and managing all facets of public safety and emergency management operations involving fire suppression, hazardous materials, technical rescue, emergency medical services, law enforcement, counter terrorism, and emergency operation center disciplines.
As the Manager of Operations for Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, and the Deputy Director of Emergency Management and Operations Manager, Kevin Nelson provided leadership and primary oversight and management for activities relating to the county’s comprehensive emergency management program, including Hazardous Materials, Counter Terrorism / Homeland Security, Emergency Planning and Training, and the County’s Emergency Operation Center. He served in pro-active leadership roles as the Chairman of Dauphin County Local Emergency Planning Committee, as an Executive Board Member for the South Central Pennsylvania Counter Terrorism Task Force, and as the Chief of Dauphin County’s Hazardous Materials Response Team.
Kevin has been and remains an active public safety practitioner. Appointed by Governor Tom Ridge to the Pennsylvania Task Force One Federal Urban Search and Rescue Team (PA-TF1 US&R), he served in the capacity of Rescue Specialist for nine years (1995-2004). As an active member of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Type III “All-Hazards” Incident Management Team (PA IMT III), as well as the South Central Pennsylvania Counter Terrorism Task Force – Incident Management Team (SCTF-IMT), Kevin has deployed to assist at a myriad of planned events and emergency incidents, such as Harrisburg, PA, Farm Show; Hershey, PA, train derailment; Halifax Township, PA, tornado; Bart Township, PA, Nickel Mine School Shooting; Pennsylvania State Police manhunt for Eric Frein; and most recently, Baltimore, MD, civil disturbance. Kevin continues to volunteer his time with Hampden Township Fire Company, as well as with Dauphin County Hazardous Materials Response Team.
Kevin has vast experience managing and delivering training and education to diverse audiences in the classroom and on training grounds. Indicative of his broad spectrum of expertise, he has served as the Director of Fire/Rescue/Hazardous Material Training at Harrisburg Area Community College, on the Incident Command Curriculum Development Committee on the PA Municipal Police Officer’s Education Training Commission, as a current Pennsylvania State Fire Academy Adjunct Faculty member and local-level Instructor, and as adjunct faculty for the National Emergency Training Center, Emergency Management Institute in Emmitsburg, MD, Kevin has provided training and education related to emergency response and incident command to private and public sector personnel from International, National, State, Regional, County, and local arenas.
Kevin holds an Associate of Arts Degree in Fire Science Technology from Harrisburg Area Community College, a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Organizational Leadership and a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Management both from Eastern University.