Washington, D.C. – President Bush has designated R. David Paulison, Administrator of the U.S. Fire Administration, Acting Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response and head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Paulison is a 30-year veteran of fire and emergency services.
Paulison served as director of the Preparedness Division of the Emergency Preparedness & Response Directorate/FEMA, from 2003 to 2004. He has served as the administrator for the U.S. Fire Administration since December 2001. As head of the U.S. Fire Administration, Mr. Paulison supports state and local fire service programs and oversees programs to reduce life and economic losses due to fire and related emergencies in partnership with fire protection and emergency service communities.
Before joining FEMA, Mr. Paulison, who has 30 years of fire-rescue services experience, was chief of the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department. In that position, he oversaw 1,900 personnel with a $200 million operating budget and a $70 million capital budget. He also oversaw the county’s emergency management office. He began his career as a rescue firefighter and rose through the ranks to rescue lieutenant, battalion commander, district chief of operations, division chief, assistant chief and then deputy director for administration before becoming chief. His emergency management experience includes Hurricane Andrew and the crash of ValuJet Flight 592.
A native of Miami, Fla., Mr. Paulison earned a bachelor of arts from Florida Atlantic University and completed the Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. He received the LeRoy Collins Distinguished Alumni Award and was inducted into the Miami-Dade Community College Hall of Fame. Mr. Paulison was selected as fire chief of the year by Florida in 1993 and holds positions in several professional associations. He is formerly a certified paramedic and as fire chief, oversaw the Miami-Dade Urban Search and Rescue Task Force. He is also past president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs.
“I’m honored that President Bush and Secretary Chertoff have entrusted me with this responsibility. It’s a job I’m proud to take on. I’ve committed my life and my career to serving the public,” Paulison said. “We are looking forward. There are people in the Gulf Coast still hurting in shelters and elsewhere, and we are going to take care of them. I’m proud of the fine employees of FEMA standing beside me. They too have dedicated their lives to serving the public. It’s a job they don’t take lightly and I’m pleased to have such professionals around me as we move forward.”
