Giles County’s Emergency Management Chief Recognized During Awareness Month

GILES COUNTY, Tenn. - September marks National Emergency Management Awareness Month, and local leaders are taking time to recognize the professionals working behind the scenes to keep communities safe during times of crisis.

One of those leaders is Josh Young, Chief of the Giles County Office of Emergency Management and Vice President of the Middle Tennessee Emergency Management Association (EMAT). With eight years of experience, Young brings a background in EMS and firefighting to his current role, where he oversees disaster response, emergency planning, and hazard mitigation for the county.

Young also serves as the county safety officer and floodplain administrator, in addition to supporting the regional hazmat team. Among his most memorable moments in the field was leading a successful multi-agency search and rescue effort for an 83-year-old woman who went missing for five days—a mission that involved drones, K-9 teams, and state and local agencies working together under a unified command.

“Emergency management is all about keeping people safe when things go wrong,” Young explained. “We prepare, respond, and help our community recover—and that takes teamwork, calm under pressure, and strong communication.”