Whitefield has a new emergency management director. On April 7, the Whitefield Board of Selectmen voted to appoint Nicole Ripley to fill the position, which has been vacant since November.
Ripley, already Whitefield’s health officer, will soon don her pink hard hat to assist Whitefield Fire and Rescue in the event of a county or statewide emergency. Ripley said she is excited for the new experience.
Each municipality is required to have an emergency management director to help develop disaster mitigation plans and coordinate the state and county-wide response to a declared emergency. Ripley will be responsible for forging relationships with community organizations to ensure the most vulnerable of Whitefield’s residents do not slip through the cracks in an emergency situation.
Ripley will also be responsible for documenting the damage after a disaster to help with the application for state and federal reimbursements. “I’ll get to work with a lot of different people,” Ripley said. “I like that interaction and that face-to-face time.”
The emergency management director in Whitefield is truly a volunteer position with the director receiving no compensation, despite the extensive training required for the position. “It’s great that she stepped up to do this,” Whitefield Fire and Rescue Chief Scott Higgins said.
Ripley said she was inspired to apply for the position due to her desire to serve the community. “I didn’t want to be an EMT or a firefighter,” Ripley said. “This was a way for me to get involved and help my community.”
Ripley is a mother of two and will soon complete her associate degree in medical office management at Kaplan University. Her husband, Ken Ripley, has served as a volunteer firefighter since 2010. Ripley also serves as leader for Girl Scout Troop 1970 and emphasizes community service in her work with the troop.
Ripley said her family is her support system and they were right behind her in her decision to apply for the position. “I like to help people and I like to be a part of something,” Ripley said. “I’m always looking for a way to help people.”
Ripley will begin her training with the Lincoln County Emergency Management Agency in the next few weeks. “Her youth and enthusiasm will get her far,” Selectman Frank Ober said. “The whole crew is behind her.”
