Acting Deputy State Coordinator, Virginia Department of Emergency Management
Chief Charles L. Werner (Charlottesville Fire Chief Emeritus)- Charles Werner is the Acting Deputy State Coordinator and a senior advisor with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management. He presently advises on Rail Responder Apps, Unmanned Aircraft Systems, FirstNet, NG911, Situational Awareness, GIS and interoperability.
Chief Werner now serves on the CSX Rail Respond Steering Committee and the Association of American Railroads Public Safety Rail Advisory Committee. Charles has served 42 years in the fire service, retiring as Charlottesville’s fire chief in 2015. Chief Werner has over 100 nationally published articles and continues as a contributing editor to Firehouse Magazine and Firehouse.com and is a regular contributor to Urgent Communications, sUAS News and Fire Rescue 1. Charles also serves on the Board of the National Alliance for Public Safety GIS, the International Association of Fire Chiefs Technology Council and the Virginia Statewide Interoperability Executive Committee.