Emergency
Management Agency

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
RR 1 Box 179C
Towanda, PA 18848
Director: James Vajda, Jr.
Phone: 570-265-5022

The Bradford County Emergency Management Agency is located on Route 6 at the junction of Route 220 in North Towanda Township.

“Emergency Management is the judicious planning, assignment and coordination of all available resources in an integrated program of prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery for emergencies of any kind, whether from attack, man-made, or natural sources."

Bradford County’s fifty-one local municipalities have Emergency Management Agencies. The County Emergency Management Agency assists the local municipal emergency management agencies in developing their Emergency Operation Plans, provides training for the local emergency management coordinators, and when more than one municipality is involved in a disaster or emergency, provides direction.

The County Emergency Management Agency also coordinates with the State and Federal Emergency Management Agencies during times of disaster or emergencies.

The Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) is also under the jurisdiction of the County Emergency Management Agency. The LEPC is comprised of members of the local SARA Title III Planning Facilities, other facilities that have chemicals, fire, EMS, police, and local government officials. The LEPC is responsible for maintaining the Facility Off-Site Response Plans. The LEPC collects $50.00 per chemical and $100.00 for each response plan. This money is used to provide training to local emergency responders and equipment for response to hazardous materials incidents. Bradford County has sixteen Planning Facilities.

Bradford County is a member of the North Central Counter Terrorism Task Force which includes six other counties: Clinton, Lycoming, Potter, Sullivan, Tioga, and Union. The mission of the Task Force is to foster cooperation and facilitate preparation among officials and agencies in the seven counties in order to safely recognize, respond to and manage situations resulting from terrorist activity, as well as provide assistance to other regions in mutual aid situations.

The National Weather Service and State Officials declared Bradford County a StormReady County on November 3, 2000, under a nationwide program to help communities guard against the ravages of severe weather. Bradford County has gained the skills necessary to survive severe weather, both before and during the event.

James Vajda, Jr.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY DIRECTOR

Mr. Vajda is a retired sheet metal worker from Local #112, Elmira, NY. He served as the Windham Township Emergency Management Coordinator from 1988 to 2000. Mr. Vajda was the first local Emergency Management Coordinator in Bradford County to receive Professional Certification form the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.

He became Emergency Management Director for Bradford County in June, 2000. Mr. Vajda has received his Advanced Certification from the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, and is working toward his Professional Certification. Mr. Vajda is a member of KEMA, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Association and a member of the International Association of Emergency Management.

Dorthey A. Hunsinger

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY SECRETARY

Mrs. Hunsinger has worked for the Emergency Management Agency since May, 1989. She has received Professional Certification from the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency. During times of emergency, she serves as the Communications Officer for the Emergency Operations Center. She is a member of KEMA, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Association and the International Association of Emergency Management. In 1997, she was named “Professional Office Worker Of The Year” for Bradford County.

John A. Mosser

LEPC EMERGENCY COORDINATOR AND BRADFORD COUNTY TRAINING COORDINATOR

John A. Mosser, retired Bradford County Emergency Management Agency Director, is the LEPC Emergency Coordinator. The is also the Training Coordinator for Bradford County. Mr. Mosser has his Professional Certification from the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency. Mr. Mosser is a Radiological Officer and Instructor. He is also a Hazardous Materials and Counter Terrorism Trainer.

For information on how to prepare for emergencies additional information can be found at the following web sites: http//www.nws.noaa.gov/er/bgm/prepare.html, the National Weather Service in Binghamton, NY; and http://www.tallytown.com/redcross, the Red Cross site.