ARRL's Emergency Preparedness and Response Manager Dennis Dura, K2DCD
Dura's major responsibilities include addressing the development and implementation of an organizational disaster response plan as well as a continuity operations plan, complete with supporting procedures and training. Integral to these plans are the recommendations of the National Emergency Response Planning Committee (NERPC) report. Dura also will play an integral part in the management of ARES, and in future negotiations with served agencies with whom ARRL shares or creates Memoranda of Understanding.

Dura comes to the ARRL with more than 26 years of experience in the emergency management field. He started as a volunteer coordinator in his home township's emergency management program and turned this experience and training into a consulting career, working on off-site emergency plans for nuclear power plants and the jurisdictions where they are sited around the country.

After some years working in the non-governmental organization side of the field, he joined the New Jersey State Police, Office of Emergency Management (NJOEM). Dura progressed through the ranks in NJOEM and served in numerous positions such as Operations Officer and Hurricane Preparedness Officer. As a Principal Planner, he was part of the group to develop the first Terrorism Plan for New Jersey prior to 9/11, specializing in human services issues, especially Mass Care. As part of New Jersey's response to the 9/11 attack, he served on a specialized inter-governmental team to establish the Family Assistance Center at Liberty State Park.

He left NJOEM in 2003 to become the Deputy State Emergency Coordinator for the New Jersey Department of Human Services (NJDHS), the position he held prior joining the League. Dura's focus in NJDHS was spread across several areas such as Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), Mass Care and Business/Continuity of Operations.

Dura holds a BS in criminal justice from The College of New Jersey and is currently completing graduate level work in homeland security and emergency management. He is a Certified Business Resilience Manager and is a member of numerous professional emergency management organizations.