ABOUT

Dedicated to Emergency, Disaster, and Nuclear Preparedness

Celebrating 60 Years! Serving America Since 1962

“In the most dangerous situation, we have chosen the most dangerous of courses…We have chosen not to face our danger!

Perhaps one of the most common misconceptions among Americans is that if a major wide-scale nuclear, biological or chemical disaster strikes, chances of survival would be extremely low. In reality, however, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Many will survive, and most will not be prepared. There are many dangerous threats that do exist. However, for each threat, there are practical preparedness solutions that exist, as well.”

Dr. Edward Teller (1908-2003)

Father of the Hydrogen Bomb

The History of The American Civil Defense Association

TACDA was formed in the early 1960′s in response to our nation's reliance on atomic weaponry as a centerpiece of foreign policy following World War II, up to and including the onset of the Cold War. During the Cold War, many feared a nuclear strike from the Soviet Union. In an attempt to protect American civilians, a civil defense (emergency relief by civilians) campaign emphasizing the use of fallout shelters commenced.

In response to the Soviet’s first atomic explosion and the Korean War, the Federal Civil Defense Administration was started in 1951. American citizens now had to imagine a new kind of war, and it was the Federal Civil Defense Administration’s job to encourage citizens to adapt to their nuclear present and future. Some doubted that physical protection from a nuclear explosion would be effective. Therefore, the Federal Civil Defense Administration received a small budget and was involved in only limited construction of shelters and the publishing of publicity materials.

In 1958, a report indicating the Soviet Union was nearing the nuclear arsenal held by the U.S. forced civil defense to be a priority. Spending increased. The Federal Civil Defense Administration became the Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization under President John F. Kennedy, who believed in and advocated civil defense.

The Cuban Missile Crisis, in October of 1962, resulted in a rapid, three-month program to improve civil defense, but after the administration of President Kennedy abruptly ended, civil defense was once again regarded as unimportant or wasteful and not funded adequately by our government.

The American Civil Defense Association was organized in 1962 by several doctors and professors from the University of Florida, including a Nobel Prize winner (Eugene Wigner) that recognized our country’s continued need for civil defense and the importance of personal emergency and disaster preparedness.

TACDA is a non-profit, non-political, 501(c)3 organization supported primarily by our members, the American public, and not the Federal Government.

The TACDA Mission

The mission of The American Civil Defense Association (TACDA) is to provide education, products and resources that empower American Citizens with a comprehensive understanding of reasonable preparedness strategies and techniques; promoting a self-reliant, pro-active approach to protecting themselves, their families and their communities in the event of nuclear, biological, chemical or other manmade and natural disasters.

The TACDA Board of Directors

With decades of experience in the fields of Civil Defense, Engineering, Medicine, Education, and the Military, the TACDA Board of Directors devote their time and efforts to increasing the awareness of Civil Defense issues in the United States and around the world.

Meet the TACDA Board of Directors

Goals and Objectives

TACDA currently has three (3) main areas in which we focus our attention and efforts. These include:

  • Education and Information- We strive to alert our members about existing dangers and potential threats relating to both manmade and natural disasters and emergencies. These include, but are not limited to, nuclear, chemical, biological and pandemic threats, national security and defense issues and developments, domestic terrorism issues, natural and environmental threats, as well as current and relevant events abroad. TACDA’s main methods of alerting our members and the public to such issues are through the continual development of our web site, including the TACDA Academy, and through the bi-annual distribution of the Journal of Civil Defense, the official publication of The American Civil Defense Association.

  • Products and Services – In addition to providing our members with information on valid threats and practical preparedness solutions, we also work hard to assist them in equipping themselves for preparedness against all types of natural and manmade disasters and emergency situations.  TACDA provides access to preparedness supplies and products that will help enable our members to prepare physically, psychologically, and emotionally for natural and manmade disasters. Visit the The Survival Store for more information about the products and supplies available to you and your family.

  • Local and National Resources – TACDA provides opportunities for our members to locate groups and organizations that share their interest and expertise related to disaster and emergency preparedness.  Although TACDA does not directly endorse nor support these groups, we understand people want to get together with other like-minded people that share their same interests, concerns and beliefs – not only on the web, but face-to-face as well. For more information on local and national resources, visit our Resources and Links area.

TACDA Membership

TACDA’s member base is currently comprised of individuals and families from all walks of life, all sharing the common goal of preparing themselves, their families, and their communities against natural and manmade disasters.

TACDA is supported, in part, by the annual contributions of our members. TACDA Memberships are currently FREE, and available to any and all who wish to join. Donations are always appreciated and fully tax deductible. For more information, we invite you to visit the TACDA Membership page, and we thank you for supporting TACDA.

Board of Directors

Jay Whimpey

Jay Whimpey, P.E.

President

Jay R. Whimpey is the current President of the Civil Defense Volunteers of Utah.  The organization conducts monthly training seminars in Salt Lake City and surrounding areas and provides information and radiation detection equipment to citizens interested in civil defense issues.

He has prepared several articles on civil defense and preparedness topics and has compiled a fairly comprehensive" Civil Defense Guidebook".

Jay has been interested in civil defense issues for many years and has been a member of Civil Defense Volunteers of Utah for over fifteen years. He has served as its president for the past six years.

Jay received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Utah in 1982 and a professional engineering license in 1995.

 

Bio
Bruce Curley

Bruce Curley

Vice President

Since 2007, Bruce Curley has been a member of the Board of Directors, now Vice President, of The American Civil Defense Association (TACDA). Through the TACDA Civil Defense Journal and his analysis on his civil defense blog (poetslife.blogspot.com) for 20 years, he creates, teaches, shares and implements civil defense strategies.  

In the early 1980’s, his first job post-Air Force, was to inspect numerous county emergency operation centers and wrote articles for Hazard Monthly. Fascinated by the planning that went into these thousands of civil defense shelters then, he has continued to explore their purpose and use.

He presented a talk to the NCT CBRNe USA 2015 conference on Rolling Up ISIS Use of Social Media as a Force Multiplier. https://www.cbrneportal.com/isis-ability-to-use-social-media-as-a-force-multiplier-in-u-s-attacks/.

Bruce is a member of the Carroll County, MD, Community Emergency Response Team and is NIMS 101/102 certified. He wrote the Emergency Response Plan for his hometown of Mt. Airy, MD. He is a member of the Safety and Security Committee at his church where he has helped write the Emergency Response Plan and taught staff how to deal with the threat matrix.

Bruce’s articles in the TACDA Journal of Civil Defense include:

Social Media for when Disaster Strikes, JCD, April 2021, Issue 1, pgs. 26-28.

WaterBricks for Safe Water Storage, JCD, Vol. 53, 2020, Issue 1

Useful Emergency Communication Tools, JCD, Vol. 52, Issue 1, 2019, p.23

Children and Civil Defense, JCD, Vol. 51, Issue 1, 2018, p. 18

When State Hackers Take Aim at the Power Grid, Vol. 50, Issue 2, 2017, p. 12

Data Situational Awareness: It's About the Data, NOT the Device, Vol. 50, 2017, p. 22

Rolling Up the ISIS Tactical Use of Social Media, Vol. 49, Issue 1, 2016, p. 17

How to Write a Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery Plan, Vol. 49, Issue 2, 2016p. 32

ISIS Use of Social Media as a Force Multiplier, Vol. 48, Issue 2, 2015, p. 27

CBRNe: Low Probability, High Impact, Vol. 49, Issue 2, 2015, p. 30

Surviving a House Fire: Lessons Learned, Vol. 47, Issue 1, 2014, p. 27

Civil Defense Redux, Vol. 45, Issue 1, 2012, p. 13

The Importance of Private Sector and Local Government MOUs, p. 29; Creating a Church Emergency Plan, p. 38; Vol. 46, Issue 1, 2013, p. 13

Active Shooter, Bomb Threat, or Just Rumors, Vol 47, Issue 1, 2014, p.3

Web 2.0 Tools for First Responders, Spring Issue, Vol 41, Fall/Winter Issue, 2009, p. 24

American Civil Defense Subscribe Star website: https://www.subscribestar.com/poetslife

Some of his civil defense blog posts from poetslife.blogspot.com follow.

EF-1 Tornado Lessons from Mt. Airy MD (https://poetslife.blogspot.com/2018/11/ef-1-tornado-lessons-from-mt-airy-md.html)

Children and Civil Defense (https://poetslife.blogspot.com/2018/10/why-civil-defense-matters-for-children.html)

Church Emergency Evacuation, Shelter-in-Place, and Lock-Down Plan (https://poetslife.blogspot.com/2017/05/church-emergency-evacuation-shelter-in.html)

Emergency Exercise – EPLEX (https://poetslife.blogspot.com/search/label/Emergency%20Exercise%20-%20EPLEX)

CBRNe: Low Probability, High Impact (https://poetslife.blogspot.com/2015/05/cbrne-low-probability-high-impact.html)

Active Shooter, Bomb Threat, or Just Rumors (https://poetslife.blogspot.com/2014/03/active-shooter-bomb-threat-of-just.html)

Hawaii Ballistic Missile Alert Fail and Fix (https://poetslife.blogspot.com/2018/01/hawaii-eoc-mega-fail-and-simple-fix.html)

Bio
Gary Sandquist

Gary Sandquist, Ph.D.

Treasurer

TITLES AND POSITIONS:

Professor of Mechanical Engineering, University of Utah

Distinguished Visiting Professor, Nuclear Engineering, Department of Physics, U.S. Military Academy

Distinguished Visiting Professor Department of Civil & Mechanical Engineering, U.S. Military Academy

Former Director of Nuclear Engineering Program, University of Utah

Adjunct Professor of Civil Engineering, University of Utah

Professor, Affiliate Faculty, Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho

Registered Professional Engineer (Mechanical Engineering: UT, MN, NY, Nuclear Engineering: CA)

Former NRC Licensed Senior Reactor Operator (U.S. NRC)

American Board-Certified Health Physicist (AB-CHP)

Diplomate: Environmental Engineer (DEE), American Academy of Environmental Engineers (ACEE)

Nuclear Science Expert for United Nations, International Atomic Energy Agency (UN-IAEA)

Chief Scientist & Quality Assurance Officer – URS Corporation (URS)

Manager and Owner, Applied Science Professionals, LLC (ASP/LLC)

Observer, Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET)

Member, ANS, ASME, HPS, ASQ, ASEE, Pi Tau Sigma, Tau Beta Pi, Sigma Xi, Alpha Nu Sigma 

Technical Speaker, Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), Senior Member, American Society for Quality (ASQ)

Commander, U.S. Naval Reserve - Retired (USNR)

Fellow of the American Nuclear Society (ANS) and American Society of Mechanical Engineering (ASME)

Certified Quality Auditor (ASQ), Registrar Accreditation Board Certified Provisional Auditor (RAB)

Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112

 

EDUCATION:

B.Sc.  Mechanical Engineering, University of Utah, 1960

M.S.  Engineering Science, University of California Berkeley, 1961.

Ph.D.  Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, Minor - Mathematics, University of Utah, 1964

MBA Executive- Masters Degree in Business Administration, University of Utah, 1995

Postdoctoral Fellow, Nuclear Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1969 - 1970

Sabbaticals: Ben Gurion University-Negev, Nuclear Engineering Department, Beer Sheva, Israel, Jan-May 1986

 

ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE:

Professor, Mechanical Engineering, University of Utah, Jul 1975 - 2005

Visiting Scientist, Nuclear Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sep 1969-Aug 1970

Associate Research Professor of Surgery, University of Utah, Jul 1974 - Jun 1986 

Visiting Professor, Nuclear Engineering Department, Ben Gurion University-Beer Shiva, Israel, Jan-Jun 1986

Visiting Professor, Physics & Civil & Mechanical Departments, US Military Academy, West Point, NY, Aug 2003-May 2005

 

TECHNICAL EXPERIENCE IAEA: Extensive experience with US and IAEA activities in nonproliferation and nuclear material handling. Short mission expert for reactor physics. Research Reactor Supervisor, Naval Intelligence Officer (designator 1635) with SBI-SCI TS clearance. Technical consultant to industry, universities, state and federal government agencies, technical organizations.

 

RESEARCH: Nuclear science & engineering, Safeguards and nonproliferation issues (IAEA), Risk assessment, Reactor physics, Health physics, Nuclear research reactors, applied math & physics, Environmental radiation monitoring, D&D. Supervised 21 PhD students and 64 MS students

 

CONTRACTS: Principal Investigator for 51 major R&D Contracts and Grants for a total value over $5 million

 

GRANTS: Funding sources include NSF, DOE, DOD, EPA, EPRI, NIH, NRC, AEC, ERDA, Industry, State & Local Government

 

PUBLICATIONS: 659 publications & presentation in nuclear science, engineering, health physics, & environmental sciences including: 5 Books and Book chapters. 184 refereed Journal, Proceedings, Conference, and Transactions Articles.  145 Technical Papers orally presented at Technical, Scientific, and Government Meetings.   325 Technical Reports for Academic, Industrial and Government Agencies. Developed 17 major Technical Computer Codes used in industry and by government agencies. Participated in 192 Technical Meetings, Conferences, Workshops, Seminars, and Government Hearings.

 

LISTINGS: Listed in 45 directories, citations and honors including: Who's Who in America, American Men & Women of Science, Who's Who in Atoms, Who's Who in Engineering, Who's Who in Science and Engineering,  Who's Who in the West,  International Who's Who in Education, Who's Who in Nuclear Energy, Who’s Publishing in Science, Who’s Who in American Education, Who’s Who in the United States,  International Directory of Nuclear Criticality Safety,  National Faculty Directory, Who's Who Registry of Business Leaders,  Directory of World Researchers,  Science Citation Index

 

CLEARANCES: Inactive Security Clearances:  Top Secret Clearance, DOD and “Q” Clearance, DOE

Bio
board_spacker

Sharon Packer

Secretary

Sharon Packer has served on the board of directors for The American Civil Defense Association (TACDA) for 20 years and has been dedicated to civil defense and preparedness issues for most of her adult life. She became interested in civil defense at a very young age during the threat years of the cold war.
Sharon earned a bachelors degree in education with a major in mathematics and a minor in physics. She taught math in the public school system for a short period of time and then became a full time mother, raising 6 children. She became an EMT and volunteered with the Wasatch County Ambulance Service for several years. Later, she returned to the University of Utah where she received a master's degree in Nuclear Engineering. She is the author of 'Nuclear Defense Issues', a handbook of weapons effects and civil defense survival techniques. Sharon was widowed in 2014, after being married to Edson Packer for 52 years.
Sharon is a co-founder of the Civil Defense Volunteers of Utah where she served as the President of that organization for 12 years. She is an amateur radio operator (N7NHJ) and served as a nuclear weapons effects trainer for the U.S. Air Force Communications Command (MARS).
In 1998, Sharon and Paul Seyfried founded Utah Shelter Systems, a company that manufactures special order steel shelters. Sharon is the Vice President and engineer for the company. The shelters feature a Swiss made ventilation and chemical-biological filtration system. Sharon and Paul are the North American distributors for this ANDAIR filtration system.
Sharon currently serves as secretary of The American Civil Defense Association (TACDA) and lectures widely throughout the United States on civil defense issues. She has written numerous preparedness articles and journals, which have been featured in TACDA's Journal of Civil Defense.

Bio
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Mary Pernicone

Board Member

Mary M. Pernicone, M.D., born in Florida, graduated from Jacksonville University in Florida in 1982, received her medical doctorate from the University of South Florida College of Medicine in Tampa in 1986, and then completed her general surgery training at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, in 1992.   Following completion of residency training, she and her husband moved to Orlando, Florida, where they both joined busy practices, she in surgery, and he in pathology.   Dr. Pernicone became certified in General surgery by the American College of Surgeons in 1994.   In 1995, she opened a multispecialty, comprehensive breast care center, where she worked several years as a breast specialist.   In late 2000, Dr. Pernicone placed her active surgical career on hold so that she could care for her husband and homeschool their four children.   However, she keeps her Florida medical license active and current, maintains Advanced Cardiac Life Support and Basic Life Support certifications,   attends medical and surgical conferences several times each year, and studies to stay current in the dynamic field of medicine.   Dr. Pernicone has a long-standing, keen interest in emergency medicine, and she attends an emergency medicine course at Emory in Atlanta every couple of years.   Dr. Pernicone has been a member of TACDA since the mid-1990's, and is very preparedness-minded.   She looks forward to serving on the Board of TACDA and contributing her insights into the medical aspects of civil preparedness and defense.

Bio
Bill Perkins

William Perkins

Board Member

William D. Perkins recently retired as president of Perkins & Oglesby real-estate Investment firm.  He is currently serving on the board of directors of The American Civil Defense Association.

From 1987 to 2000 he was Chairman/CEO of Southeast Imaging Systems and Florida Imaging Systems. He founded Florida Imaging Systems in 1987 with five employees.  Both companies were medical radiology companies specializing in heart catheterization, CT scanners, mammography, fluoroscopic and general radiographic equipment. In 1993 two other companies were merged into Florida imaging and the name was changed to Southeast Imaging Systems. When he sold the company in 2000 they had 64 employees in four states and sales were over 30 million dollars per year.

From 1970 to 1987 Mr. Perkins was employed by Philips Medical Systems. In 1972 he started the Central Florida Branch as the only employee. He developed branch sales to over 10 million dollars per year and grew the branch to 35 employees. His responsibilities included management of sales, engineering and operations departments. He completed Philips Senior Management Program and numerous management and sales training programs. He was top salesperson in the U.S. three times.

Mr. Perkins served eight years in the US Air Force. While there he attended numerous electronics and instructor schools and he attended the University of Southern Mississippi. He was an instructor for communications/missile electronics.

Major awards include:

Bronze Star with ‘V’ Device

Air Force Commendation Medal

South Vietnamese Government’s Medal of Honor

 

His hobbies include reading, ham radio(KD4FJL), scuba diving and target shooting. He has always been interested in civil defense and completed the National Guard Trained Crisis Responder Course (TCR) for Terrorism and Disaster Response.

Bio

TACDA Director & Editors of the Journal of Civil Defense

A woman smiling for the camera with long hair.

Roseanne Hassett

Executive Director/JCD Editor

Roseanne received her bachelor’s degree in Accounting at the University of Utah and began working at Fidelity Investment’s Tax-Exempt Services Co. (FITSCo). Shortly afterward she was recruited to Achieve Global; a business training group that helps organizations enhance their sales force strategies and reduce costs to improve company performance. She was responsible for implementing sales commission for their large sales force, paying out millions of dollars in commission each year.

In 2001 Roseanne became the first employee of VitalityMedical.com, a medical supply company and one of the fastest growing companies in America (listed on INC 5000), where she worked for 9 years filling a variety of roles as the company grew. Roseanne then took an 8-year hiatus from the corporate world to raise a family of 4 children. While raising her children she served and volunteered in her church, enjoying leadership positions in several presidencies directing children, youth, and women.

In 2018 Roseanne was asked to take over operations at The American Civil Defense Association, which she states has been her most challenging, but most satisfying business role in her career. “The charity needed extensive updating and reform and I found it exhilarating to bring it up to par.” Cost accounting has been a strength and intense interest of Roseanne’s since her first introduction to it in college courses at the University of Utah. She has not only been able to save the organization, but had it thriving within just 15 months and still has many plans for its growth and sustainability.

In her free time, Roseanne enjoys spending quality time with her family; cooking, gardening, biking, hiking, climbing, and working on home projects. Most of her vacation time is spent in her favorite places of nature which include mountains, lakes, beaches and gardens.

Bio
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Brialyn Carlsen

JCD Editor

Brialyn Carlsen has a master’s degree in Social Work from Brigham Young University in Provo, UT with an emphasis on clinical social work. She was a research assistant both in her master’s program at BYU and bachelor’s program at the University of Utah and is a co-author for an article currently under review for publishing in Health and Social Care in the Community. 

Bria has spent a large portion of her life developing her talents in the fine arts, especially the performing arts of modern and ballet dance which she studied and applied at the University of Utah, and in fine art applications of sketch, painting, and music. Other acute interests include the study of English grammar and literature. She is a voracious reader and literarian. Bria is the Graphic Designer and co-editor for the Journal of Civil Defense.

Bio

Advisory Board

A man in a hooded sweatshirt is posing for the camera.

Paul Seyfried

All Hazard Sheltering/EMP/Gun Safety

Becoming socially aware that TV heroes that were armed were more capable than ones who were not, Paul’s interest in firearms began at age 10.  Firearms access was limited somewhat until the fall of 1970, when he began attending Missouri Military Academy where he was issued an M14 service rifle.  Ineligible to win the Weapons Plaque at graduation because he was not a four-year Military Science student, he was awarded the plaque anyway.  Membership on the school’s rifle team earned him a shooting scholarship at New Mexico Military Institute. Studied tactical pistol shooting at the Midwest Practical Pistol League, Columbia, Missouri before moving to Salt Lake City to enjoy the limitless ranges of Utah’s deserts and mountains. 

Learned to reload ammunition in 1970 and does so to this day in 13 calibers.  Serious study of tactical firearms training began with notable instructors such as Jeff Cooper, Denis Teuller, Chuck Taylor, Charles Hinson, and John Farnam.  Shameless advocate for arming and training America’s law-abiding citizens.  Student and affiliate instructor for Defense Training International. 

Bio
A woman in glasses and a black jacket

Jane Orient

Medical/Chemical

Jane M. Orient, M.D. obtained her undergraduate degrees in chemistry and mathematics from the University of Arizona in Tucson, and her M.D. from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1974. She completed an internal medicine residency at Parkland Memorial Hospital and University of Arizona Affiliated Hospitals and then became an Instructor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine and a staff physician at the Tucson Veterans Administration Hospital. She has been in solo private practice since 1981 and has served as Executive Director of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS) since 1989. She is currently president of Doctors for Disaster Preparedness. She is the author of YOUR Doctor Is Not In: Healthy Skepticism about National Healthcare, and the second through fifth editions of Sapira's Art and Science of Bedside Diagnosis published by Wolters Kluwer. She authored books for schoolchildren, Professor Klugimkopf’s Old-Fashioned English Grammar and Professor Klugimkopf’s Spelling Method, published by Robinson Books, and coauthored two novels published as Kindle books, Neomorts and Moonshine. More than 100 of her papers have been published in the scientific and popular literature on a variety of subjects including risk assessment, natural and technological hazards and non-hazards, and medical economics and ethics. She is the editor of AAPS News, the Doctors for Disaster Preparedness Newsletter, and Civil Defense Perspectives, and is the managing editor of the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons.

Bio
The American Civil Defense Association Logo, TACDA Logo

Landon Beales, M.D.

Medical/Chemical/Water Purification

Dr. Beales was a member of the University of Utah School of Medicine clinical faculty in the Internal Medicine department for over 30 years He has a special interest in the treatment of chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia syndrome. He enjoys exploring the back roads of Utah in his Jeep, camping with family and friends, being an amateur radio operator, playing his violin and working on cars. Dr. Beales advises and specializes in water purification and medical expertise for TACDA.

Bio
A woman with long hair smiles for the camera.

Kylene Jones

Family Preparedness/Food Preservation

Kylene Jones has an educational background in business management as well as in family studies. She has served on the advisory board for a number of years, and on the board of directors for TACDA as well. Kylene also served in the past as an editor of the Journal of Civil Defense. She has a passion for researching and experimenting, adding a sense of real life to their writing and teaching. She is the co-author of The Practical Prepper - A Common-Sense Guide to Preparing for Emergencies and blogs at www.theprovidentprepper.org. A firm believer in hands-on learning, she involves her family in emergency training for everything from fire drills, to living off food storage and garden produce, to turning off the power in the dead of winter just to see if they can survive it. Many powerful lessons are learned from these experiences, the best lesson being that we are tougher than any challenge. We will not only survive, but we will emerge better, stronger people as a result of the adventure. Visit YouTube to see Kylene and Jonathan Jones on TheProvidentPrepper channel they operate. https://www.youtube.com/@TheProvidentPrepper

Bio
A man in suit and tie smiling for the camera.

Jonathan Jones P.E.

Alternative Energy/Family Preparedness

Jonathan is a licensed civil engineer and an avid enthusiast of alternative energy sources; especially solar  and wind power. He has served on the advisory board and on the board of directors as vice president for The American Civil Defense Association (TACDA), as secretary/treasurer for a local chapter of Civil Defense Volunteers, as an emergency preparedness and communications specialist, and as a city councilperson, was tasked with developing the city emergency plan in his own community. He has coauthored numerous articles published in The Journal of Civil Defense on emergency preparedness topics with his wife. He is the owner of Your Family Ark, LLC, an educational and consulting business designed to assist individuals and families in preparing for an uncertain future. Visit YouTube to see Kylene and Jonathan Jones on TheProvidentPrepper channel they operate. https://www.youtube.com/@TheProvidentPrepper

Bio
A woman in blue shirt and gold chain necklace.

Mary Pernicone M.D.

Medical

Mary M. Pernicone, M.D., born in Florida, graduated from Jacksonville University in Florida in 1982, received her medical doctorate from the University of South Florida College of Medicine in Tampa in 1986, and then completed her general surgery training at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, in 1992.   Following completion of residency training, she and her husband moved to Orlando, Florida, where they both joined busy practices, she in surgery, and he in pathology.   Dr. Pernicone became certified in General surgery by the American College of Surgeons in 1994.   In 1995, she opened a multispecialty, comprehensive breast care center, where she worked several years as a breast specialist.   In late 2000, Dr. Pernicone placed her active surgical career on hold so that she could care for her husband and homeschool their four children.   However, she keeps her Florida medical license active and current, maintains Advanced Cardiac Life Support and Basic Life Support certifications,   attends medical and surgical conferences several times each year, and studies to stay current in the dynamic field of medicine.   Dr. Pernicone has a long-standing, keen interest in emergency medicine, and she attends an emergency medicine course at Emory in Atlanta every couple of years.   Dr. Pernicone has been a member of TACDA since the mid-1990's, and is very preparedness-minded.   

Bio
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Arthur Robinson

Science, Medicine, Education

Arthur Robinson Ph.D is an American biochemist, conservative activist, and politician. He was the five-time Republican nominee for the United States House of Representatives for Oregon's 4th congressional district. In 2020 he became Senator-elect of Oregon's 2nd Senate District.

A former faculty member of the University of California, San Diego, Robinson now runs a privately funded laboratory known as the Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine in Cave Junction, Oregon, a newsletter called Access to Energy, and publishes the Robinson Self-Teaching Home School Curriculum.

Bio
A man with glasses and white hair wearing a green shirt.

John D Hoyle Sr.

Disaster Preparedness

John D. Hoyle, Sr. was a hospital executive for 31 years including 22 years as CEO of a three-hospital system.  In 1999 he went to work for the US Public Health Service and took over the former Noble Army Hospital at Ft. McClellan, AL and converted it into a mock hospital training environment to teach mass casualty care, WMD, and triage.  It operates today under FEMA with the same mission. John served on the FEMA Advisory Board in Washington, DC from 1991-1993. He founded the first paramedic training program in Northern Kentucky and installed the first hospital to ambulance radio system in the Tri-State. He was a member of the State of Kentucky EMS Advisory Council for 7 years, Kentucky State Medical Examiners Disaster Team and the Disaster Preparedness Committee of the Kentucky Hospital Association and the Medical Planning Committee for the Central United States Earthquake Consortium. He served as Greater Cincinnati Coordinator for the Civilian-Military Contingency System and in 1984 enrolled the hospitals in the newly created National Disaster Medical System.  He also served as Co-Chairman of the NDMS Development Steering Committee and formed and led a Disaster Medical Assistance Team for 15 years.  He received a direct commission as a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Public Health Service and later rose to the rank of Captain (O-6).  He is a member of the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States and Life member of MOAA and ROA. He has responded to numerous disasters over the years including the Beverly Hills Supper Club fire, two airliner crashes, Hurricanes Andrew, Floyd, Francis, Ivan and Katrina, Northeast ice storm, and World Trade Center attack.  He was part of the medical preparedness operations for the Olympics in Atlanta and Salt Lake City. He is a radiation monitoring instructor and FEMA/NFD Certified Disaster Mortuary Coordinator and spent 8 years as a volunteer firefighter and EMT. He and his wife, Janet, have been married for 55 years and have three adult children and five grandchildren.

Bio
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Colonel Jim Smith

Public Safety/Emergency Medicine

Colonel Jim Smith is the public safety director of a rural town and has a master’s degree in safety with a certificate in system safety from the University of California. Smith has written several textbooks relating to homeland security, terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, and nuclear/radiological incidents. During his career, Smith has prevented two school bombings and one school shooting. He has served on a federal joint terrorism task force and has more than 40 years of public safety experience. Smith teaches criminal justice, terrorism, and homeland security courses for the University of Phoenix and Troy University.

Bio
The American Civil Defense Association Logo, TACDA Logo

Randall Smith

Emergency Communications

My background is as a speech-language pathologist, professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders and of Neuroscience at the University of Arkansas College of Medicine. The first several years of my career were spent serving veteran patients at Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers in St. Louis, Memphis, Cincinnati, and Tampa. My interest in human communication disorders grew out of my observations of young American soldiers in Viet Nam who sustained closed-head or traumatic brain injuries which impaired or deprived them of the ability to use speech, language, cognitive abilities, swallowing, hearing, and related processes. Personal interests include amateur radio in which I have held an FCC license since 1984. Based upon both military experience as a United States Air Force electronics officer and my interest in electronics and communications, I have taken a keen interest in emergency communications. Along the way, I served as a radio operator in the U.S. Army's Military Affiliate Radio System, and with the IBM Corporation first as a field engineer, then as a systems engineer and finally as a marketing representative. Interest in Civil Defense began at the age of 17 while an undergraduate student at Southeast Missouri State University where I volunteered time at our local Civil Defense Agency. I participated in the construction of the emergency communications portion of the St. Louis Civil Defense Agency's underground emergency command center. In addition to volunteering, I taught courses in radiological monitoring, radiological defense, shelter management and medical self-help during the academic years. In 1965, I received a Distinguished Service award from then Missouri Governor, Warren Hearnes. In addition, through Dr. Lawrence Bahn, professor of physics at my alma mater, I was granted by-products materials handler's licenses. I operate a radio station that has both transmission and reception capabilities on all amateur radio, public service, MARS, high frequency citizens' band (CB), family radio service (FRS), general mobile radio service (GMRS) and multi-use radio service (MURS) frequencies. I have installed a commercial FM transmitter for use on 90.3 MHz. during a declared state of emergency in my community. I participated in facilitating communications between EMS and U.S. Coast Guard personnel during hurricane Katrina in 2005 and from that learned the critical importance of having effective, lines power independent electricity to power emergency communications equipment. That experience served only to reinforce a saying used universally in the military: "If you don't have effective communications, you don't have...'anything'.”

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David Male

EMP

Dave Male has worked as an electrical engineer in the defense industry for over 40 years and has extensive knowledge and experience in electrical components. He also worked as an aircraft electrical engineer. Dave serves on the TACDA Advisory Board as the EMP expert.

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Christopher Fey

Financial/Organizational Growth

Mr. Fey is an experienced health care executive with more than three decades in managed care, insurance plans, clinical diagnostics and preventive medicine.

As a management consultant, Mr. Fey assisted in the development of HMOs for U.S. HealthCare, Lincoln National Life Insurance, as well as Blue Cross and Blue Shield in markets such as

Baltimore/Washington, D.C., Florida, New Jersey, New York, Boston, Chicago and St. Louis. Following these major market launches, Mr. Fey founded his own multi-state managed care company, HealthCare USA, which grew to a $150 million business in less than three years. HealthCare USA has generated more than five billion dollars in revenue since its founding. The Company was also ranked #1 in Quality in the State of Florida outranking 28 other established HMOs at the time. HealthCare USA was acquired by publicly-held Coventry Health Care where Mr. Fey served as Senior Vice President. Coventry Health Care was acquired by Aetna.

As a Member of the Wall Street Journal CEO Council, a select organization of 100 CEOs from across the U.S. and internationally, Mr. Fey participated in its yearly roundtable conference which presented its annual business priorities list to the White House. He has also traveled extensively to discuss population health management and prevention efforts and opportunities with business, health care and government leaders across the U.S., Europe, United Arab Emirates, China, Malaysia and Singapore.

Mr. Fey is the founder and managing partner of Eagle Strategy Partners, LLC and mHealth Ventures. He is also the founder, chairman & CEO and director of BigBang Health, Inc., a connected network of health care providers serving the self-funded employer market, board Member of MedAware Solutions, Inc., a teleHealth and teleMedicine solution that connects the care threads throughout the health care continuum, as well as co-founder and chairman & CEO of Blood Tests at Home, Inc., a national home or work diagnostics company. Mr. Fey is a graduate of the University of Florida.

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Christian Wilson

Global Public Health

Christian Wilson loves to help people grow their own food in their yards in case there is an emergency by combining technology and permaculture practices. He thinks everyone should be creating miniature food forests that will benefit humanity for generations. Before his interest in farming, he was an Internet Marketing Professional and a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Analyst. He has lectured at the University of Hawaii and BYU Hawaii University about SEO and has attended travel-related SEO conferences on the US mainland. He produced BYU Hawaii University’s 2nd Annual SEO conference with Andy Beal as the keynote speaker. He worked as a Senior Analyst at the Polynesian Cultural Center (Hawaii’s top paid attraction since 1963) for 17 years and as a marketing consultant for another 10 years. He was responsible for creating PCC’s first website back in 1994. Christian is a current member of the TACDA Advisory Board.

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Frank Williams

Organizational History & Growth

Williams is the Chairman of the Board and Interim CEO/President of Community State Bank headquartered in Starke, Florida.  Community State Bank has three branches located in Lake Butler, Fl, Interlachen, Fl, and Micanopy Fl.

Williams is Vice President, Florida Acquisitions for National Community Renaissance (CORE), a National 501 (C)(3) nonprofit with $1 Billion in assets and is a  former Board Member of Bonded Builders Risk Management Group and WNC, INC, a multifamily housing national syndicator and new market tax credit authority and is a member of the Board of Directors of Community State Bank.

Williams is the former chief Executive Officer of the Building Industry Association of Southern California Baldy View Chapter, retiring after a tenure of 20 years.  The Baldy View Chapter upon Williams retirement was the most awarded Association within the National Association of Home Builders. In 1998 Williams was named Executive Officer of the Year for the National Association of Home Builders.

Williams was the founder and Chairman of the Board and President of Housing Action Resource Trust (HART). From 1999 until the Congress, IRS, and HUD discontinued all private down payment  assistance programs in 2004.  HART gifted $400 Million and assisted 50,000 families and individuals buy homes (no government funds used in this program).

Williams is also the former CEO of HomeAid San Bernardino County, a 501(c)(3)

nonprofit.  HomeAid is helping to alleviate the homeless problem in San Bernardino County and Los Angeles County by building or renovating homeless shelters.

Williams served the last five (5) years as Chairman of the Board for the Housing Authority of San Bernardino County (appointed to two four (4) year terms)

Williams is a former six (6) term member of the Florida House of Representatives, representing Bradford, Clay, and St. Johns Counties from 1972-1984.

He is a former member of the California Board of Architectural Examiners.  A former member of the California Regional Water Quality Control District Santa Ana Region, a former member of the Southern California Association of Governments Regional Advisory Council, former member San Bernardino County Workforce Investment Board, a Board Member of the American Building Products Export Alliance, and is a San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Special Services Bureau.  Williams is a founder of the American Civil Defense Association. He serves on the Dean’s Executive Advisory Board at California State University College of Business and Public Administration.  He is a 50 year member of Lawtey Lodge 189 Free and Accepted Masons, a Scottish Rite Mason and Shriner.

Williams is the recipient of the Fair Housing Award from the Fair Housing Council of San Bernardino County and received the Congressional Community Leadership Award in 2005. A three time Paul Harris Fellow Rotarian.

Bio
George Turner

George Turner

Social Platforms & Growth

George studied Criminal Justice at Hazard Community and Technical College and it was that field of endeavor that he eventually became the Chief Deputy Jailer for the county in which he resides. In 2022 George was stranded in a disastrous flood that local and state officials referred to as a 500-year flood. Since that event, George has made preparedness a priority and has worked to help others learn about the need to be prepared for man-made and natural disasters.
Currently he serves his county as a Deputy Emergency Management Director.

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