Greenwich First Selectman Fred Camillo announced Wednesday the appointment of an Emergency Management Director.

Emergency services professional Joseph Laucella, with more than two decades of emergency medical, firefighting and public safety experience, has been named Greenwich Emergency Management Director under the auspices of Greenwich Emergency Medical Service (GEMS). Mr. Laucella fills the vacancy created last summer by the sudden passing of long-time Emergency Management Operations Director Dan Warzoha.

Mr. Laucella is one of 43 candidates who applied for the position during a national search. He was the top choice of the interview committee comprised of the leadership of GEMS, the Fire, Health, Parks & Recreation, Police and Public Works departments, as well as Mr. Camillo and Town Administrator and Chief Operating Officer Ben Branyan. Mr. Laucella assumed the directorship on May 2.

“I am impressed by the breadth and depth of the experience that Joe brings to Greenwich. I look forward to seeing him implementing his community outreach and education ideas that will engage our community, especially as the hurricane season approaches,” Mr. Camillo said.

GEMS Executive Director Tracy Schietinger said, “The role of the Emergency Management Director is vital to the Town in planning, preparing and coordinating response in a disaster. Joe’s expertise in emergency management at the regional, state and federal levels, coupled with his experience in public safety, fire and EMS makes him the right choice for Greenwich. Greenwich EMS is honored to have this partnership with the town.”

Mr. Camillo also said, “We’ll be forever grateful for the decades of dedicated service to the Town of Greenwich by Danny Warzoha. I want to thank Police Chief Jim Heavey for serving as Interim Emergency Management Director for the last eight months.”

Prior to coming to Greenwich, Mr. Laucella has served as the Director of Operations of the Echo Hose Ambulance for more than 13 years and as the Emergency Medical Service Director for the Town of Trumbull for S years. For the past 20 years, Mr. Laucella also served as a Public Safety Officer for Fairfield University.

Since the age of 16, he has been serving his community as a First Responder in a number of different roles throughout the years. He is a lifelong Shelton resident who began serving his community by volunteering as a Shelton firefighter and EMT with Echo Hose Ambulance.

He holds numerous state and federal certifications and licenses. In addition to earning a bachelor’s degree in justice and law administration from Western Connecticut State University, he is a graduate of the Nationai Emergency Management Basic Academy. https://www.greenwichsentinel.com/2022/05/06/greenwich-names-new-emergency-management-director/