McLean County Emergency Management Chief of Operations Eric Hodges has announced the appointment of Brad Smith as the Acting Lieutenant of Administration effective October 27, 2011. Smith most recently served as the Sergeant of Training and Safety where he worked to integrate training opportunities across the Search and Rescue and Field Operations Divisions, improved the tracking and accountability of certifications and classroom hours, and further professionalized the overall training curriculum within the McLean County EMA.

In his new role, Acting Lieutenant Smith will serve as the Administration Division's commander by overseeing policy development and publications, training and safety, and fleet and facilities, serving as the Quartermaster, managing personnel records, managing the division's budget, and coordinating the Agency's public service events. He will also partner with Lieutenant Orns to administer the Operations Division's Probation and Field Training Programs. Acting Lieutenant Smith will directly supervise the work of the Sergeant of Fleet and Facilities and will maintain primary responsibilities for training and safety until a new Sergeant is appointed to that position.

Acting Lieutenant Smith earned his Master's Degree in Emergency and Disaster Management from American Public University in 2011 and is also a State of Illinois licensed Emergency Medical Technician-Basic. He is currently pursuing his Illinois Professional Emergency Manager (IPEM) designation - the highest state-level designation achievable by Emergency Management professionals in Illinois.