12/19/2022

Colonel Jerry Wellman, W7SAR, former ARRL Utah Section Emergency Coordinator (SEC), was recently named the National Volunteer Emergency Manager of the Year, the highest honor given to a volunteer emergency manager, by the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM).

Wellman served as the Utah Wing Civil Air Patrol commander from September 2009 to May 2013. He served as the emergency services training officer for the Salt Lake Senior Squadron, and currently serves as the Phoenix Cadet Squadron's assistant officer for communication and for education and training.

At the award ceremony on November 14, 2022, Wellman was cited for being "active in enhancing his own emergency management professional development, while relentlessly contributing to his community." He taught emergency management communications classes in Arizona, Utah, and Colorado, and chaired the Kearns, Utah, Metro Township Emergency Planning Commission.

He also served on the Utah State Emergency Response Team and volunteered in the state Emergency Operations Center, contributing more than 150 days during the COVID-19 response and during floods, fires, and winter storms. He also served as an air operations coordinator on three search and rescue missions.

Wellman was licensed in 1972 and holds an Amateur Extra-class license. He is an ARRL Life Member and a Life Member of REACT International.

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