City of Broken Arrow announces new Emergency Management Director

Peter Perez most recently served in Greeley, Colorado

City Manager Michael Spurgeon has named Peter Perez, CEM, as the City of Broken Arrow’s new Emergency Management Director beginning August 1.

“Peter has extensive experience in emergency management, homeland security, disaster preparedness, special events planning, and intergovernmental coordination,” Spurgeon said. “He has effectively led emergency planning, incident management, disaster response and recovery efforts, while building strong collaborations across local, state, federal, and private sectors.”

Furthermore, Spurgeon says Perez’s diverse leadership experience and excellent communication skills will be very valuable to the City of Broken Arrow.

Perez said he is incredibly excited about the opportunity to join the city and serve its community members.

Building Relationships and Creating Systems

“Emergency management is ultimately about building relationships and creating systems that are ready to work when people need them the most,” Perez said. “I look forward to working alongside city departments, public safety agencies, community partners, businesses, and the public to build a dedicated emergency management program that strengthens Broken Arrow’s ability to prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies. My goal is to build on the great work already happening here while developing a forward-thinking, collaborative program that can serve Broken Arrow well into the future.”

Mayor Debra Wimpee and the Council welcome Perez to the City of Broken Arrow and are confident that he has the expertise to ensure the city remains ready to handle whatever challenges it may face.  

“The Emergency Management Director role is among the most crucial and demanding positions within the city’s leadership," Wimpee stated. “Peter’s background in homeland security, disaster preparedness, and emergency planning makes him the ideal person to protect us and safeguard the safety and security of our residents.”  

Who is Peter Perez?

Most recently, Perez served as the Director of Emergency Management for the City of Greeley, Colorado, a role he held since June 2024. Before that, he was the Director of Homeland Security and Emergency Management for the City of Killeen, Texas, where he managed recovery and reimbursement for two presidentially declared disasters and coordinated the city’s COVID-19 response.

Perez earned a Bachelor of Science in Emergency Administration and Planning from the University of North Texas. He is also a Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) through the International Association of Emergency Managers and a Colorado Certified Emergency Manager (CEM). He is also a graduate of FEMA’s National Emergency Management Advanced Academy and the Colorado Academy for Professional Emergency Managers.

Mayor Wimpee and City Manager Michael Spurgeon also expressed their appreciation to Kenny Schwab, Assistant City Manager of Operations, who has served as the Emergency Management Director while serving his regular duties since March.