By Echo Menges
The Knox County Commission has appointed a new Emergency Management Director (EMD) for the county.
EMD’s throughout the state are responsible for planning and preparing for natural disasters and other emergencies within the county or jurisdiction they serve. During a large scale emergency, EMD’s coordinate between first responders, the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The EMD also coordinates county resources in planning for and during responses to large scale disasters and emergencies.
On Monday morning, April 4, 2022, Bill Whiles, 42, was officially appointed to the position. Whiles is a Knox County native with over 20 years of experience as a Hurdland Volunteer Firefighter, over ten years of experience as a member of the Knox County Rescue Squad and four years of experience as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) with the Knox County Ambulance District.
Whiles and his wife, Annette, have been married for 21 years. They have two children, Katie (Tim) Jones and Clayton, age 9.
