Hameau to succeed Haugom as Jefferson County Emergency Management director

Tracy Hameau has been named director of Jefferson County Emergency Management, according to information released Friday by the county’s Office of the County Administrator.

She succeeds Donna Haugom, who recently retired after 32 years of service with the county, the release stated.

Hameau began in her new role with Jefferson County Monday, Aug. 26.

As noted in the release, Hameau formerly served as the emergency management director in La Crosse County. Prior to that, she spent five years as the Sauk County Emergency Management deputy director.

Over the course of her career, Hameau has been involved in emergency operations center activations and disaster response events, the release stated, adding that she is a “seasoned emergency management practitioner with experience in all phases of emergency management, and boasts a public safety background in 911 communications.”

“We are excited to have Tracy in Jefferson County to lead our Emergency Management Department. Aside from possessing the qualifications and expertise for the job, Tracy has a proven track record of working with all necessary parties to prepare for and respond to a crisis. In Tracy, we have a team builder with excellent communication skills and relationships that are critical when faced with emergency-related events,” Ben Wehmeier, Jefferson County administrator, was quoted as saying in the release.

Further, the release stated, “Hameau is one of the few emergency managers in Wisconsin to be certified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Basic Academy program, and currently is the only emergency manager in the state to be selected to attend the FEMA Advanced Academy in the coming year. In addition, she has passed her certification through Wisconsin Emergency Management (WEM) and is a certified emergency manager.”

Within the release, Hameau said: “It is a pleasure to serve our citizens, visitors, and other stakeholders within Jefferson County preparing for all – hazards, incidents, and events. I look forward to continuing a successful emergency management program working with the whole Jefferson County community.”