Thomas (Tom) Wells is an Associate of Delta’s Disaster Preparedness Solutions team.  In this role, Tom brings subject matter expertise to diverse areas, including training and exercises, hazardous materials and Weapons of Mass Destruction response, emergency management, and incident management.  In addition to state and local responsibilities, he provides Delta with a national outlook and presence.

Tom was the original International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) Program Manager for the National Hazardous Materials Fusion Center, the centerpiece of a five-year cooperative agreement between the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration and the IAFC. The development of the Hazmat Fusion Center was a national effort featuring a bottom-up building process that included stakeholders from every area of the country.  His consensus-building skills were evident during a series of regional focus groups as he reached across disciplines to form a cohesive system.  He continued the growth process through outreach efforts that included speaking to audiences across the country at hazmat conferences, meeting with private-sector and industry groups such as TRANSCAER, and communicating with training directors.  Tom has also been involved in managing other projects such as the Virginia Fire Chiefs Association SAFER grant project for Volunteer Firefighter Recruitment and Retention.  Prior to employment with the IAFC, Tom worked for a national consulting firm where he served as project manager for the 2005 Presidential Inaugural and State of Delaware exercise series. Tom continues to be involved in programs with the Transportation Security Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Tom is retired from the Anchorage (Alaska) Fire Department, where he served as Homeland Security Coordinator. He directed the homeland security efforts of the Municipality of Anchorage and comanaged the Anchorage Fire Department Hazardous Materials Response Team.  Other significant efforts in Anchorage included serving as the point-of-contact  for the Anchorage Metropolitan Medical Response System, functioning as the Operations Section Chief during active Emergency Operations Center operations, and serving as Acting Emergency Manager for the Municipality of Anchorage.

Tom received a Fire Science degree from the University of Alaska Anchorage and served as the Program Coordinator for the Fire and Emergency Services program at the university from 1991 to 2004.  He was also the Chairperson of the Alaska State Emergency Response Commission Training Committee.  Tom participated with the management team for the State of Alaska Hazardous Materials Statewide Response Team System.  He is recognized by the National Fire Academy as a Hazardous Materials Response Team Specialist and is a contract instructor for its Hazardous Materials Incident Management course.

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