Steve Glassey

Position(s):
Director, Mercalli Disaster Management Consulting.

Profile:
Steve is the Director of Mercalli Disaster Management Consulting in New Zealand. He is the former Chief Executive and founder of the Emergency Management Academy of New Zealand Limited (EMANZ), now gifted to and a division of Tai Poutini Polytechnic. Since its inception in 2005, EMANZ has grown to be the largest provider of emergency management training in New Zealand with over 1,600 students and delivering over 120 courses per annum throughout New Zealand and overseas. The Academy employs over eight local full time staff and over 15 casual tutors covering a spectrum of courses including disaster management, technical rescue, incident management, hazardous materials response and much more.

Steve has experienced a diverse array of occupations, including service with the Royal New Zealand Navy, Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Wellington Free Ambulance, New Zealand Fire Service (National Headquarters) and Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management. Steve also has additional volunteer experience with the New Zealand Red Cross, New Zealand Mountain Safety Council, St John Ambulance, Rural Fire, New Zealand Disaster Assistance Response Team and the Swiftwater Rescue Education Trust.

Operationally, Steve has worked strategically in the National Crisis Management Centre during various events and also at the coal face as a Paramedic Rescue Technician. Steve has delivered emergency management projects in United Arab Emirates, Nepal, Indonesia, Laos, Philippines, Australia, Thailand and the United States of America, with many of these associated with his humanitarian aid work.

Having been both a volunteer and career practitioner in emergency management, Steve has strong networks at all levels of emergency management in New Zealand and has received acclaim for national level projects including contributions to the National Urban Search & Rescue Programme, Response And Preparedness In Disaster (RAPID) Project and developing the Collaborative Educational Pathway for Emergency Management (a joint concept between Massey University and Tai Poutini Polytechnic) that provides education from certificate to doctorate level in New Zealand.

Currently Steve is studying toward a Master of Philosophy (in Emergency Management) with Massey University and has already achieved several national qualifications including a National Diploma in Business, National Diploma in Adult Education & Training and several other tertiary level certificates including emergency management, rural fire, specialist rescue and health & safety.

Steve more recently completed an assignment as a Disaster Management Officer with the United Nations developing pandemic and major disaster contingency plans for the Lao Peoples Democratic Republic. This role involves significant interaction with high level officials within central government and a multitude of UN agencies in a complex political environment. During this assignment, Steve also was responsible for coordinating pandemic preparedness and response on behalf of the Country Director during the April 2009 H1N1 outbreak.