New Burke EM director wants department to be ready for anything

Dominic Minor, the new Emergency Management Director for Burke County, wants the department to be ready for anything that comes its way.

He wants you to be ready, too.

Public outreach and a focus on civil preparedness are two of the early goals for Minor, 30, who takes over for Mike Willis. Willis retired at the end of last year after eight years at the helm.

Minor said the devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene last fall has caused emergency management personnel to take a long look at how ordinary residents can be better prepared to withstand disasters until help arrives.

He envisions public informational meetings and workshops.

“That’s going to be a major thing we’re going to be pushing countywide,” Minor said. “Sometimes we say, ‘the first 72 is on you,’ because it may take that long for us to get to you.”

Minor takes over a department that will function as a single entity for the first time. Previously, emergency management and the Fire Marshal’s office were combined in one service.

Fire Marshal Robert Bishop served as interim EM director until Minor came on board in May. Minor will make $75,000 per year.

“I wouldn’t say we’re starting from scratch, because the foundation is there and the core functions have continued,” he said. “But any time there’s a change in leadership, the program is going to change.”

Minor wants Burke County’s emergency personnel to be ready for anything, a strategy he calls an “all-hazards approach.”

It’s a comprehensive management style that allows emergency services to respond to a wide array of hazards. Burke’s proximity to abundant outdoor recreation resources means both urban and wilderness applications for rescue workers.

Minor has developed his philosophy during a unique career that has exposed him to both emergency services and the inner workings of municipal government.

A native of Knightdale in Wake County, Minor graduated from Appalachian State with a degree in history in 2017. After graduation, he joined the National Guard with plans of furthering his education.

The semester had just started when Hurricane Florence hit the N.C. coast in September 2017.

Minor was deployed to hard-hit Carteret County. He spent a day there manning the emergency operations center’s communications hub, watching as more than 50 people worked in unison around him to help others.

He was hooked.

“I’d never seen anything like that, never been exposed to anything like that before, because I’ve never worked in public safety before,” Minor said. “That’s where my interest really began.”

Minor went on to take an internship with the Town of Conover and later worked for the Manufacturing Solutions Center — a business incubator similar to Morganton’s The Industrial Commons — before becoming hazard planner for Durham County Emergency Management. He was also emergency management director at UNC-Charlotte.

“It’s a constant theme in my career that I’ve been super fortunate to work for some really excellent, high-performing organizations,” Minor said.

That trend has continued in Burke County, he said.

“This whole team that we have here is just a top-to-bottom, class operation and I’ve just received nothing but support and guidance from them,” Minor said, adding he’s particularly grateful for the assistance of Bishop, Emergency Medical Services Director James Robinson, and EMS Deputy Director John Hood.

When Helene hit last fall, Minor’s guard unit was deployed to Asheville and later Yancey County, both of which were heavily impacted. The experience only stiffened his resolve to respond when people need help.

“Obviously you never want anything bad to happen, but if it does, you want to be part of the solution,” Minor said.

Robinson said he's confident Minor is the right person for the job.

“Dominic was chosen from a competitive group of candidates,” Robinson said. “He brings a wealth of experience in hazardous materials (HazMat) response, Tier II reporting, and exercise planning that aligns with the recommendations of North Carolina Emergency Management.

“We’re excited about the direction his leadership will take us.”

County Manager Brian Epley agreed.

"Dominic is not only responding to today’s challenges—he’s helping us prepare for tomorrows. His strategic mindset and commitment to continuous improvement are already shaping the future of emergency management in Burke County," Epley said.

 Minor said he's ready for the challenge.

“The weight of the responsibility I’ve been given is not lost on me. There was a huge amount of trust shown by the county to put me in this role, and I take it very seriously.”