Ashley Davis

As the Emergency Management Director, I assist in coordinating a comprehensive emergency management program to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters that could disrupt the University’s educational operations. Vitally crucial to that mission is building a comprehensive response team of internal and external partners, fostering relations with Florida A&M University departments, fellow universities, and county, State, and federal emergency management partners.

As Chief of Response, I oversaw fifty team members in Operations, Infrastructure, Logistics, All-Hazards Incident Management Team, Human Services, Hazardous Materials, and Radiological Emergency Preparedness.

Supervising a 17-member team within the State Watch Office (SWO), encompassing Human Services personnel and an All-Hazards Incident Management Team (AHIMT) planner. Served as the Duty Bureau Chief of Response, chaired Florida’s first AHIMT Qualifications Program, led training and exercise initiatives for both the State Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and field-based AHIMTs, and coordinated the development and maintenance of the State Emerge Plan.

Managed and supervised sixteen team members in the SWO; served as the Chair for the Qualifications of the Statewide AHIMT Program; managed the AHIMTs, which is the forward coordinating element for the SERT and the State Coordinating Officer, consisting of six teams with extensive backgrounds of Law Enforcement, Fire Rescue Emergency Management, Health, and Public Works; served as Deputy Operations Chief.

Managed Preparedness Section team members; assisted in updating the Emergency Program and CEMP; coordinated projects and exercises with the Emergency Coordination Officer (ECO); facilitated intergovernmental and private sector collaboration; delivered training to emergency managers; led monthly preparedness calls with District ECOs; supported evacuation planning and operations at the State EOC as FDOT Team Lead for the Evacuation Liaison Team.

Served as on-call team members responding to SWO emergency calls; supported FDOT Emergency Management website enhancements and utilized SharePoint to improve information-sharing and organizational effectiveness, coordinated with ESF staff at the State EOC during evacuations and stood ready to activate the Transportation Emergency Operations Center; provided training to the FDOT Central Office; facilitated meetings with District ECOs, FDEM, and federal partners; responded to public inquiries requiring situational assessment and follow-up; assisted with planning activities; and provided technical assistance to District ECOs.

Led Continuity of Operations Planning (COOP), Florida Catastrophic Planning, and the Statewide Hurricane Program; supported Region II counties in revising CEMPs; served as statewide team lead for catastrophic planning exercises focused on evacuation and re-entry; provided technical assistance to counties and ECOs, coordinated workshops, strategic planning sessions, and interagency meetings; engaged with local, tribal, state, federal, private sector, infrastructure, and non-profit partners; managed 11 Regional Planning Councils for the State Regional Hurricane Evacuation Study Project; ensured consistency and continuity in evacuation studies; delivered training on hurricane preparedness, evacuation, and re-entry to county emergency managers, ECOs, and SERT members.

Collaboration with counties and all four nuclear power plants affecting Florida, including one in Dothan, Alabama, contributed to the State CEMP and governmental policies, authored NIMS-compliant radiological emergency response plans, reviewed county evacuation and mitigation plans, supported NASA’s contingency planning for the MARS launch, and served as a Technical Expert during FEMA-evaluated nuclear drills.