Statement by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff on the President’s Nomination of Dennis R. Schrader as Deputy Administrator for National Preparedness

Release Date: April 4, 2007

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: 202-282-8010

I am pleased by President Bush's intention to nominate Dennis R. Schrader to be the Deputy Administrator for National Preparedness, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Mr. Schrader is thoroughly familiar with the needs of state and local emergency management, having been Maryland’s first Homeland Security Advisor and responsible for partnering with the National Capital Region jurisdictions to develop homeland security programs in the area. He has served on the county council for Howard County, Md., and was a vice president for the University of Maryland Medical System Corp. His 26 years of military service with the U.S. Navy will prove to be a very valuable asset for the department.

National Preparedness focuses on policy, contingency planning, exercise coordination and evaluation, emergency management training, and hazard mitigation. National Preparedness oversees two divisions: Readiness, Prevention and Planning (RPP), and the National Integration Center (NIC).

There is a continuing need to ensure preparedness for catastrophic events in this country, and if confirmed, Mr. Schrader will play a key role in advancing the department’s efforts in creating a common framework for emergency management.

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This page was last modified on April 4, 2007