In December, President John J. DeGioia appointed Don Jones to the newly-created position of Special Assistant to the President for Emergency Preparedness in December. Jones will be responsible for designing, implementing and maintaining the University’s plans for emergency situations.
Jones previously served in the U.S. Army for 35 years, holding positions including deputy assistant secretary of defense of military manpower and personnel during Operation Desert Storm, commanding general of the Army Personnel Agency and assistant division commander at Fort Hood, Texas.
Most recently, Jones served as senior vice president for chapter services of the American Red Cross, where he oversaw the the National Disaster Services plan to augment the disaster response capability of the Red Cross.
DeGioia said that although Georgetown is not thought to be a specific target, he felt that it is imperative for the University’s safety to be ensured. He asked that members of the community cooperate with Jones and take the the issues seriously.
DeGioia praised the responsiveness of the community to the disaster in a press release, but noted that higher levels of preparation were necessary and attainable.
The new position was created to ensure that one person would be coordinating the efforts and responses of various departments at Georgetown in the case of an emergency.
Jones will be at the University full time until June.
