Lincoln County Civil Defense Director Clifford Galey willcontinue to play a role in statewide emergency response and policyafter retaining a board position on the Mississippi CivilDefense/Emergency Management Association during elections held lastweek.

Galey, the 2005-2006 vice president of MCDEMA, was elected toserve as the District Nine vice president and chairman of the boardfor the organization’s 2006-2007 fiscal year.

One board member was selected from each of the nine emergencymanagement districts, who then elected a president, vice presidentand secretary/treasurer.

Galey said the office is a volunteer position.

“It won’t mean any more duties than what I’ve been doing,” hesaid. “I’ve been on the board for the past three or fouryears.”

MCDEMA is an association of local and state emergency managersand emergency response personnel throughout Mississippi designed tounify and strengthen emergency management activities.

MCDEMA and the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency workclosely together to plan for, respond to and recover fromemergencies and disasters across the state. It does not seek noradminister grants.

It does, however, assist counties and municipalities in pursuingtheir own grants by devising response policies and procedures thatmay be required to apply for specific funding.

“Hopefully, we’ll continue to help cities and counties receivestate and federal funding,” Galey said.

The elections were held as part of the annual MEMA and MCDEMAconference held June 5-7 in Biloxi. Membership is not limited,Galey said.

“The membership is not only emergency management. We also havelaw enforcement and businesses that support the association,” hesaid. “You don’t have to be in emergency management to belong.”