Brooklyn Park’s New Emergency Management Coordinator Up To Task of Preparing City

Dan Johnson-Powers is a longtime part-time firefighter for Falcon Heights, and he’s using that experience as Brooklyn Park’s new emergency management coordinator.

Brooklyn Park’s new emergency management coordinator, Dan Johnson-Powers, explains features of the city’s mobile command post.

“Lots of folks, when they think of an emergency, think of calling 911 and the response you get from police or fire or ambulance crews,” said Johnson-Powers, who began the newly-created position about four months ago. “That certainly is a big part of it. Emergencies start before you call 911 and there’s a lot of work to do during and after that isn’t as eye-catching as a vehicle with lights and sirens on it.”

He said his goal and his purpose is to help the city identify and mitigate risks that can only exacerbate an emergency, be it a house fire or even something as catastrophic as a tornado outbreak, before tragedy strikes.

“We take an all-hazards approach, so that the cause of the problem isn’t as big of a concern as the problem itself,” he said. “At my home, if I lose power, I don’t care why. I just care that the power’s out. That’s the approach we take; what is the actual problem that could threaten the safety of our community, and let’s mitigate that.”

In his role in the corporate world as someone who responds to and coordinates response to emergencies, Johnson-Powers has had experience with these types of protocol and prioritization of resources.

“I’ve had the pleasure of working with first responders from all over the country during various disasters, and the team we have here is very professional and very well equipped in striving toward continual improvement to meet the needs of the community,” he said.

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