FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Release #053-00
Thursday, February 17, 2000

Release #053-00

MAYOR GIULIANI APPOINTS RICHARD SHEIRER DIRECTOR OF
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani today announced the appointment of Richard J. Sheirer as Director of the Mayor's Office of Emergency Management, the agency responsible for coordinating the City's response to an emergency or crisis. Mr. Sheirer has devoted his career to public service, which spans more than three decades. For the last three years, he has served as NYPD Deputy Commissioner for Administration and Chief of Staff to Police Commissioner Howard Safir.

"Richard Sheirer is a dedicated and versatile public servant who brings to OEM a broad perspective on emergency management and crisis response in New York City, from coordinating safety measures for New Year's Eve in Times Square to helping the City prepare for Y2K," the Mayor said. "Few people in government match his level of expertise in public safety. Throughout years of service to the City of New York - both at the Fire Department, where he began as a Dispatcher in 1967 and rose to become Deputy Commissioner in 1994, and at the Police Department, where he responded to incidents 24 hours a day - Richard has demonstrated that he knows how to marshal the City's resources to solve a crisis."

The Mayor continued, "Whether it's a water main break or a building collapse, every day OEM responds to and plans for numerous emergencies that require the coordinated response of many government agencies. Richard's decades of experience working with government agencies at every level will prove invaluable in his new capacity as Director of OEM."

Richard Sheirer said, "I have had the good fortune to have a career spanning 32 years in the two greatest public safety organizations in the world - the New York City Fire Department and New York City Police Department. I want to thank the Mayor for selecting me to head the Mayor's Office of Emergency Management, which is the premier emergency management office in the country."

Richard Sheirer began his career with the Fire Department in 1967 as a Fire Alarm Dispatcher. He quickly rose through the ranks, becoming Chief of Dispatch Operations in 1989, Assistant Commissioner in 1992 and then Deputy Commissioner in

1994. Among his accomplishments at the Fire Department, he implemented a number of cost saving initiatives that were eventually adopted by numerous City agencies. He also devised a public education campaign to reduce the misuse of the 911 system. As the Duty Fire Commissioner Liaison, he was responsible for responding to fires, non-fire emergencies and other incidents. He also served on the Fire Department Labor Relations Team and the FDNY High-Rise Fire Fighting Planning Unit. In 1987, he was awarded the Thomas P. O'Brien Award for the planning of Liberty Weekend and for implementing provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) as it applied to FDNY Dispatch Personnel.

In April 1996, Sheirer was appointed NYPD Deputy Commissioner for Administration and Chief of Staff to Police Commissioner Howard Saifr. As Deputy Commissioner, he is responsible for monitoring NYPD's compliance with government regulations and for the formulation, planning and implementation of various NYPD policies, procedures and programs. He is also the Department liaison to the Mayor's Office, the City Council, the Mayor's Criminal Justice Coordinator and various other public and private law enforcement organizations.

Richard Sheirer holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Saint Francis College in Brooklyn. He has been married to his wife, Barbara, for 26 years. They have five sons: Matthew, Joseph, Christopher, Andrew and Paul.

Established by Executive Order No. 30 in March 1996, the Mayor's Office of Emergency Management is responsible for mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery for all emergency conditions requiring the involvement of multiple agencies. The Office is the on-scene coordinator at all emergency incidents and is responsible for interagency coordination and communication. OEM also manages the City's Emergency Operations Center. Additionally, the Office develops all emergency plans for the City, makes recommendations to the Mayor concerning the City's emergency response capabilities and coordinates with the Police Department and City agencies to ensure proper preparation is made for major City events. The Office also serves as the point of contact with all State and Federal agencies, as well as the private sector, in matters relating to emergency management.

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