Bruce Fitzgerald, Director of the Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA)

Bruce Fitzgerald

Bruce Fitzgerald is the Director of the Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). In this role, he is directly responsible for the State’s response to disasters as well as other programs including Homeland Security, training and exercise, preparedness, response, mitigation, dam safety and public awareness.  He was nominated to serve as MEMA Director by Governor Paul LePage in February 2014.

Bruce has been with MEMA for nearly ten years, serving previously as Deputy Director and Homeland Security Division Director.  Bruce has participated in strategic planning efforts on a number of issues including the development of Maine’s State Homeland Security Strategy (SHSS), Tactical Interoperable Communications Plan (TICP), and State Communications Interoperability Plan (SCIP).  He has also been a leader in the development of the Virtual Maine situational awareness tool.

Bruce has served in the State Emergency Operations Center (EOC) through numerous disasters and state emergencies, most recently as an EOC Coordinator for Maine’s response to Hurricane Sandy.  Bruce also deployed to New York City to assist with Hurricane Sandy response and recovery efforts as part of a multi-disciplinary EOC Support Mission under the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC).

Bruce was selected as a 2012 Henry Toll Fellow by the Council of State Governments.  He was also the 2005 Maine Emergency Manager of the Year, presented by the Northeast States Emergency Consortium.  He began his career in public service as a Legislative Assistant for then-Congressman John Baldacci, who served on the Agriculture Committee in the US House of Representatives.  In this role, he worked closely with Federal, State, County, Local and Tribal officials in Washington DC and Maine.