The Madison County Emergency Management Agency has a new director who is continuing the county’s partnership with the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP), the Blue Grass Chemical Activity (BGCA) and the Blue Grass Army Depot (BGAD).

“BGCAPP is sort of a launching point for all of our experience and training in preparedness,” said Howard Logue. “Being prepared for a chemical event prepares us for a natural event, and vice versa. The Blue Grass project has created open dialogue among agencies that now readily work together.”

Retired from the Kentucky State Police (KSP), Logue brings first-responder expertise and years of managerial experience. He said he is well-versed in how agencies operate and how they should work with other agencies and national, state and local communities, and has experience in the operational, technological and administrative management aspects of a large agency.

“We practiced emergency management every day, from interoperability with other agencies to communications and engagement with the local communities,” said Logue. “Ultimately, you are only as good as your people, your mission and goals and your relationships, so my goal is to manage the processes and lead the people, using the skills I have gained from my KSP career.”

During operations, BGCAPP will work closely with the BGCA Emergency Operations Center (EOC) which will, in turn, communicate with the Madison County Emergency Management Agency to keep them informed of activities, said Dorian Karas, emergency preparedness manager, Bechtel Parsons Blue Grass.

“We recognize the importance of the relationship between Madison County emergency management and the EOC,” said Karas. “We work closely with the EOC as we establish our protocols in order to provide timely and informative notifications in the event of an emergency.”