Director; Retired City Manager Ionia, MI; former Executive Director Center for Public Safety Excellence
Email: twieczorek@cpsm.us
Phone: 616-813-3782
Thomas Wieczorek is an expert in fire and emergency medical services operations. He has served as a police officer, fire chief, director of public safety and city manager and is former Executive Director of the Center for Public Safety Excellence (formerly the Commission on Fire Accreditation International, Inc.). In addition to teaching programs at Grand Valley State University, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and Grand Rapids Junior College, he continues to assist local government leaders with dispatch, police, fire, EMS, and Homeland Security. He testified frequently for the Michigan Municipal League before the legislature and in several courts as an expert in police and fire department management. He is the past-president of the Michigan Local Government Manager’s Association (now M.M.E); served as the vice-chairperson of the Commission on Fire Officer Designation; and served as vice chairperson of the Commission on Fire Accreditation International.
He worked with the National League of Cities and the Department of Homeland Security to create and deliver programs on emergency management for local officials titled, “Crisis Leadership for Local Government Officials” that was presented across 43 states as well as a program for “Economic Recovery from Disasters” that was presented under contract with FEMA and the ICMA. He represents ICMA on the NFPA 1710 and 1730 Standards Committees as well as the new NFPA 1750 Committee that will integrate NFPA 1710, 1720, and 1730. He also represents ICMA on the “Big 7” Policy Committee and on a multi-association task force which is developing a Joint Position Statement on EMS Performance Measures Beyond Response Times. He served on the U.S. Fire Administration’s Task Force which created a report on Recruitment and Retention and is a board member on the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) Advisory Board.
He received the Mark E. Keane “Award for Excellence” in 2000 from the ICMA, the Association’s highest award and was honored as City Manager of the Year (1999) and Person of the Year (2003) by the Rural Water Association of Michigan, and distinguished service by the Michigan Municipal League in 2005.