Macon-Bibb EMA Director Honored for Leading Effort to Secure Funding for National Weather Service

Spencer Hawkins, the Director of Macon-Bibb County’s Emergency Management Agency (EMA), was honored with the 2024 Presidential Citation by the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) on November 20. The recognition came for his leadership in a national grassroots campaign aimed at addressing funding shortfalls for the U.S. National Weather Service (NWS).

Hawkins was presented with the award by IAEM-USA President Carrie Speranza during the association’s annual conference in Colorado. He expressed his gratitude, stating, “I am so grateful to be recognized by IAEM President Carrie Speranza for my efforts in supporting the National Weather Service. I highly respect my colleagues in IAEM, and to be singled out at our annual conference was a true highlight in my career.”

Hawkins’ campaign began a year ago when he discovered that the NWS faced substantial funding cuts from Congress. He collaborated with NWS and IAEM leaders to organize a nationwide effort, encouraging emergency managers to contact their elected officials through emails, phone calls, and letters. The goal was to highlight the crucial role the NWS plays in providing lifesaving information during weather-related emergencies.

“I organized an e-mail, phone call, and letter writing campaign with emergency managers across the country to contact their elected officials and share local stories on how the National Weather Service worked to provide lifesaving information to emergency managers that in turn kept the community safe,” Hawkins explained. “Ultimately, this campaign was successful.”

As a result of the advocacy, Congress restored NWS funding. Hawkins continues to push for sustained financial support for the agency, emphasizing its importance in forecasting dangerous weather events.