Get to Know the Folks from OEMS!
The mission of the Office of Emergency Management & Safety (OEMS) is to provide guidance, direction and training to the College and its students, faculty, staff and visitors in the prevention, protection, response to and recovery from all incidents or events. OEMS also serves as a link to federal, state and local emergency management offices and to public safety agencies. Just imagine how busy these folks have been since spring of 2020!
Emergency management, as a profession, aims not just to prepare a community for disaster but to create community resilience for when the inevitable disaster does occur. Emergency managers operate under the knowledge that disaster is not a question of if but when. The goal is to help the community prepare to respond to a disaster and to be resilient against disaster occurrences.
NOVA has a five-person team that aims to accomplish these tasks. Let us introduce you to NOVA’s Office of Emergency Management and Safety personnel:
Thomas Mayhew
Tom Mayhew is the leader of NOVA’s OEMS department. He is responsible for overseeing the department and ensuring that the college remains compliant with all policies, procedures and laws that pertain to emergency management and/or safety standards the college must meet.
When not at work, Tom can be found working on various projects around his home. From remodeling his kitchen to making his own desk, and everything in-between.
Brenda DeRamus
Brenda is the deputy director of the department and serves as the campus coordinator for the Woodbridge and MEC campuses. Brenda assists Tom in his duties as needed and oversees all the campus coordinators in performing their responsibilities.
In her spare time, Brenda enjoys hanging out with her dogs and her pet chicken, Lucy.
David Cook
David Cook is the safety officer for the college. He is responsible for such things as maintaining the AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) and fire extinguishers, as well as college safety equipment and functions.
When not at work David enjoys being outside with his dogs.
David Bellew
David Bellew is the department planner. He writes, reviews, and revises any college plans that pertain to emergency management and/or safety. In addition, he also serves as the campus coordinator for the Alexandria and Annandale campuses.
David’s favorite pastime is fishing. He enjoys fishing in any form and has also been known to fly fish occasionally.
Hayley Holmes
Hayley Holmes is the department exercise and training officer. She is responsible for conducting all college exercises that test the functionality of the safety plans/procedures and any emergency training needed for the college. Hayley also serves as the campus coordinator for the Loudoun and Manassas campuses.
In her spare time Hayley enjoys rock climbing and snowboarding (when she isn’t healing from an injury).
Submitted by:
Hayley Holmes, OEM, HHolmes@nvcc.edu