CULLMAN, Ala. – Cullman County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Director Tim Sartin has spent much of his life working behind the scenes to help keep Cullman County prepared, informed and safe.
Now, that work will help guide emergency management efforts across Alabama.
Cullman County EMA announced that Sartin was recently sworn in as president of the Alabama Association of Emergency Managers during the association’s annual state conference in Mobile.
The role places Sartin in a statewide leadership position representing emergency managers, supporting training and professional development, strengthening communication between agencies and advocating for the needs of local emergency management offices across Alabama.
The agency called the honor a reflection of Sartin’s leadership, dedication and commitment to emergency management both in Cullman County and across the state.
“This is a tremendous honor and a reflection of the leadership, dedication and commitment Tim has shown to emergency management, not only here in Cullman County but across the state of Alabama,” Cullman County EMA said in its announcement.
Over the next year, Sartin will work alongside emergency managers, state partners and public safety officials throughout Alabama to continue improving preparedness, response and recovery efforts for communities statewide.
For Cullman County, the honor is also a reminder of the growing role local emergency management plays in daily public safety.
While many residents may associate EMA primarily with severe weather alerts, Sartin and the Cullman County EMA team have long emphasized that the agency’s work extends far beyond the forecast.
EMA is involved in planning, coordination, communication, public safety support and incident response across a wide range of situations.
From hazardous material incidents and missing persons cases to major weather events and large-scale emergencies, EMA often serves as one of the central support agencies helping connect first responders, local governments and the public.
“If it’s something large that happens, some way, shape or form, it touches our office,” Sartin previously told The Tribune.
Sartin stepped into the director’s role at the start of 2022 following the retirement of longtime EMA Director Phyllis Little. At the time, he brought 23 years of service with Cullman EMS, along with experience in volunteer fire service and reserve police work.
He had also served as a liaison to EMA during the 2011 tornadoes and continued in that role during multiple ice storms that affected Cullman County.
When he became director, Sartin described himself simply as “a hometown boy, born and raised here in Cullman County.”
“I spent my whole career in public safety, and I’m going to continue to do what I’ve always done,” Sartin told The Tribune at the time.
That local-first approach has remained a visible part of Sartin’s leadership.
In 2023, Sartin helped launch the Cullman County Crisis Communications Team, bringing together news organizations, first responders, schools, city leaders and community partners with large social media followings.
The goal was to help spread accurate information quickly during emergencies and reduce the risk of misinformation during moments when the public needs clear guidance.
“We want to bridge the gaps and help to reach more people with helpful and useful information,” Sartin told The Tribune during that effort.
Cullman County EMA also moved forward with a major notification system upgrade in 2024, rolling out Everbridge Mass Notification after issues with the previous alert system during the January 2024 ice storms.
Sartin said the new system allowed EMA to send targeted alerts using mapping tools, giving officials the ability to notify residents in specific affected areas.
He has also consistently encouraged residents to use more than one method for receiving emergency information, including weather radios, cellphone alerts, EMA notifications and trusted local sources.
“Always have two methods of getting your information,” Sartin previously told The Tribune. “If we can’t reach you, we can’t notify you.”
As AAEM president, Sartin’s role will expand that same focus to a statewide platform. The association represents emergency managers throughout Alabama and works to strengthen preparedness, response, recovery, training and coordination among local, state and public safety partners.
Cullman County EMA said having one of its own serve in the statewide role is a meaningful accomplishment for the county and a testament to the emergency management team’s work.
“Having one of our own serve in this leadership role is a great accomplishment for Cullman County and a testament to the hard work and dedication of our emergency management team,” the agency said. “We are excited to see the positive impact Tim will make in this role and know he will continue representing Cullman County with the same passion and commitment he brings to our community every day.”
For Sartin, the honor marks another chapter in a public safety career rooted in the same community he now represents across the state.
For Cullman County, it means one of its own will have a voice in shaping emergency management conversations, training and coordination throughout Alabama.
