The City of Calgary names Calgary Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) director

Tom Sampson has been appointed as director of the Calgary Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) at The City of Calgary.   

Sampson’s career with The City spans 30 years, primarily in the field of emergency services.  

“Mr. Sampson brings a strong blend of experience in emergency management, including both leadership and operations expertise”, said Stuart Dalgleish, general manager of Community Services & Protective Services.  “These skills, combined with his solid track record of building teams and fostering partnerships, make him a tremendous asset to CEMA, which is firmly rooted in its collaborative relationships with many partners and members.”

Since 2014, Sampson has held the role of deputy chief of CEMA. Prior to this, he served as executive officer and deputy chief with the Calgary Fire Department and spent 22 years working in emergency medical services (EMS) with over 11 of those years as chief of Calgary EMS. In 2009, Sampson played a pivotal role in helping develop the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) and the associated activities to build and train the operations team. 

Sampson holds a Masters Certificate in Municipal Leadership from York University as well as certificates in management, industrial relations, and advanced life support.  He is also a licensed paramedic and Incident Command System (ICS) instructor.  

The North America-wide search for a director began in late 2014, after it was announced that CEMA would transition from The Calgary Fire Department to its own business unit on Jan. 1, 2015.

Mr. Sampson will assume his new role on March 2, 2015.

Please visit calgary.ca/cema to learn more about Tom Sampson and the Calgary Emergency Management Agency.