Chris Grimes, who has served Forsyth County in various capacities since 2006, has been appointed as the county's new Director of Emergency Management.
The appointment was made by Forsyth County Manager Eric Johnson and was effected Nov. 1.
Grimes had been serving as interim director of the department since the Oct. 16 retirement of Fire Chief/Director of Emergency Management Danny Bowman.
According to information released by county government Tuesday morning, Grimes began his tenure with Forsyth County in 2006 as an emergency management clerk. In 2007, Grimes served as school safety manager with the Forsyth County Board of Education before taking on the role of deputy director of emergency management in 2013. As deputy director, he oversaw all daily operations and responses of the Emergency Management Agency. Grimes also served as Emergency Operations Center director during activations, managed the Emergency Management Agency budget and served as a liaison between local, state and federal partners.
During his time with Forsyth County, Grimes has taken advantage of multiple training opportunities, earning certification in several areas including a certification as a Georgia Emergency Manager, Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council Peace Officer and DHS All-Hazards Communication Unit Leader.
"Chris has been a very valued member of Forsyth County’s Emergency Management Agency," Johnson said. “He has worked at various levels of the EMA and has become an integral part of Forsyth County’s emergency response.”
Grimes is a graduate of South Forsyth High School and holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Georgia. He also has a Master of Public Safety Administration from Columbus State University
