Tukwila emergency official moves to county post

King County this month named City of Tukwila Emergency Coordinator Hillman Mitchell as director of its Office of Emergency Management. In this role, Mitchell will supervise 18 employees at the Emergency Communications and Coordination Center in Renton, 11 employees at the Emergency 9-1-1 office in South Seattle, and oversee a budget of $23 million.

“I am very excited to join the experienced team at King County, and to help move the region into a position of better preparedness and capability to respond to disasters,” Mitchell said. “I look forward to expanding my work with our local, state and city partners, and with the private sector to create more open communication and emergency collaboration across all levels of government.”

Mitchell will replace Robin Friedman, who resigned to pursue other local and international professional opportunities. As the city of Tukwila emergency management coordinator, he is well known to many county employees as well as regional emergency managers for his work with Tukwila, and in his previous role as government liaison specialist for the American Red Cross. He began his new role as Office of Emergency Management director Aug.3.

The mission of the King County Office of Emergency Management is to provide leadership and services that improve the safety of the public in King County, specializing in disaster mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.

To learn more about the King County Office of Emergency Management, visit www.kingcounty.gov/prepare.

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