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Richland County hires recovery chief 1 month after floods

Michael King (in blue shirt) and others listen to Gov. Nikki Haley who visited Richland County’s Emergency Operations Center during the height of the flood response. King has been hired as the county’s new flood recovery chief.
Michael King (in blue shirt) and others listen to Gov. Nikki Haley who visited Richland County’s Emergency Operations Center during the height of the flood response. King has been hired as the county’s new flood recovery chief. Provided photo

A little over a month after historic floods devastated parts of Richland County, a former law enforcement officer with FBI and organizational management training has been hired to coordinate communication and disaster recovery efforts.

Michael King will serve as Richland County’s new recovery chief, the county said in a statement Thursday. County residents and leaders are transitioning from responding to daily flood emergencies to beginning to move forward from last month’s disaster.

King, assistant director for the county’s Emergency Services Division and a former longtime Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper, played a role in managing the county’s Emergency Operations Center immediately after the floods.

“Mr. King has a wealth of knowledge that will help in the recovery phase,” county administrator Tony McDonald said in a statement. “In this new role, he will oversee and manage the County’s day-to-day recovery operations.”

Prior to his role as recovery chief, King had served as a 911 communications center director in both Ohio and South Carolina and assistant city manager for public safety for Columbia.

Reach Ellis at (803) 771-8307.

This story was originally published November 5, 2015 at 12:14 PM with the headline "Richland County hires recovery chief 1 month after floods."

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