Kevin T. Sur is the Director of Communications / Public Information Officer (PIO) for the State of Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) as well as an Instructor for the National Disaster Preparedness Training Center (NDPTC), and in the External Affairs Cadre at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (DHS/FEMA) in Washington, DC.

Previously, he has served as an Emergency Manager for the DuPage County (Illinois) Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, an Instructor for the State of Ohio Emergency Management Agency, a Program Officer-4 for the Cuyahoga County Office of Emergency Management overseeing all Training/Outreach/Exercises for Public Safety & Justice Services, and Deputy Fire Chief at North Randall Fire and Bazetta Fire.

Kevin was awarded the Ohio American College of Emergency Physicians’ EMS Star of Life Award for his deployment with the Ohio Task Force to Louisiana’s Lower 9^th ward during Hurricane Katrina/Rita in St. Bernard Parish. Most recently, Kevin served in the Joint Information Center (PIO) and the Emergency Operations Center during Hurricane Sandy, 2016 World Series, 2017/2018 NBA Finals, and 2016 Republican National Convention.

In September to December 2017, Kevin was deployed with FEMA for the Hurricane Irma response as the PIO responsible for the entire Florida Keys leading FEMA’s External Affairs for Branch 5 Division A and then Hurricane Maria response/recovery as the FEMA PIO responsible for the US Virgin Islands Branch 1 – Division A and Division B.

In 2019, Kevin was deployed as the primary FEMA PIO and acting FEMA External Affairs Officer covering the State of Nebraska for the flooding response and statewide recovery operations.

In 2020-2021, Kevin was deployed as the FEMA PIO and Joint Information Center Manager to FEMA Region-1 covering Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont for all COVID Operations and Federal COVID vaccination efforts. And again in 2021 as the Joint Information Center Manager for the response/recovery for New York for Hurricane Ida. 

Kevin was invited to the White House for the 2014 Innovation for Disaster Response and Recovery Initiative and has been named Cleveland’s Top 10 Most Interesting Tweeps on Twitter from WKYC / MetroMix (NBC affiliate). Additionally, he has received numerous awards including Fire Officer of the Year and a Unit Citation award for Excellence in EMS care.

Kevin frequent lectures include Incident Command, DHS/FEMA All-Hazards IMT Operations/Plans/Logistics Section Chief, Firefighter Rescue, Public Information, #SocialMedia, SOCMINT, Disaster Response, and Emergency Services Leadership.

 Read testimonials from partners in public safety on Kevin Sur here