Gary Jones
Acting Regional Administrator
Gary Jones is the Acting Regional Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Region 6 office in Denton, Texas.
As Acting Regional Administrator, Mr. Jones is responsible for the administration of emergency management programs in the five-state region that includes Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. He also is responsible for oversight and implementation of response and recovery operations for Presidentially-declared disasters in FEMA Region 6.
Mr. Jones has 43 years of government experience at both the state and federal levels. In 1994 Mr. Jones was designated Deputy Regional Administrator and has served as Acting Regional Administrator on five separate occasions. In 2005 Gary provided leadership during response to both Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. He also served as Federal Coordinating Officer for Hurricane Georges in 1998. Additionally, he has provided executive leadership and oversight during more than 300 federally-declared disasters, including Hurricane Andrew, the Oklahoma City bombing, the Columbia Space Shuttle disaster and Tropical Storm Allison in 2001. His leadership this year in Region 6 was once again challenged as it proved to be a record breaking year for the number of Presidentially declared disasters.
From 1987 to 1994, Mr. Jones worked in the FEMA Region 6 Technological Hazards Branch serving as Branch Chief and Regional Assistance Committee Chairman. The branch program responsibilities included Radiological Emergency Preparedness, Radiological Defense, Hazardous Materials, Earthquake Preparedness, Hurricane Preparedness, Dam Safety, and the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program.
Prior to joining FEMA, Mr. Jones worked for the Arkansas Department of Health in a variety of emergency medical services positions and later served three years as Director of Arkansas' Emergency Medical Services Program. Following his 13 years with the Arkansas Department of Health, he began his federal career serving as the Arkansas State Coordinator for physician recruitment with the U.S. Public Health Service.
Mr. Jones holds a Master's Degree in Public Health Administration from Tulane University and a Bachelor's Degree in Education from the University of Arkansas.
Mr. Jones has one daughter and one granddaughter. He has lived in Denton, Texas for over 26 years with his wife, Mary.
Last Modified: Thursday, 22-Jan-2009 11:33:37 EST