Mike Thornton started as Warren County’s new Emergency Management Agency director on July 14. 

Thornton previously served as the EMA director in Lattimer County, Okla. and the deputy EMA director in Tillman County, Okla. 

“I have always been about preparedness in regards to disasters, and I’ve always had a significant interest in severe weather and just disaster management in general,” said Thornton. “And I’ve always wanted to help people prepare and then prevent loss of life.”

He is stepping in to fill the position previously held by Jim Sharp, who stepped away from the county in February to serve as the operations chief for the Marthasville Community Ambulance District. 

Former EMA Director Mike Daniels had filled the position in the interim. 

Presiding Commissioner Joe Gildehaus said they are glad to have Thornton on board and are excited for him to get to work. 

Thornton, a graduate of Rose State College, worked in emergency management in Oklahoma for nine years before he stumbled upon the job posting here in Warren County. 

“My family is originally from Wisconsin, after nine years, I just wanted to start moving but kind of get closer to my family,” said Thornton. 

While working in Oklahoma, Thornton managed and oversaw recovery efforts for several federally declared natural disasters including wildfires, flash flooding and tornadoes. 

He also led the development and research for Tillman County’s hazard mitigation plan, a document that assesses natural disaster risk and is used in grant applications to better prepare a community for disasters. 

Thornton said he was able to use that plan to apply for grants to make improvements, including a new tornado siren and upgrades to radio systems totaling over $120,000. 

While Missouri’s climate is different from Oklahoma’s, and the risk for natural disasters is lower, many of those risks like tornadoes and flash flooding are similar. In 2024, Oklahoma had seven federally declared disasters, while Missouri only had one, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s website. 

Thornton said while some of the risks may be different, his first steps in his new role will be through community outreach, with a particular focus on CodeRED emergency alerts. 

“I’m hoping to get extremely involved with the communities in the county, from the standpoint of outreach… Trying to push preparedness, so that way people are prepared when disasters occur,” said Thornton. 

He said he also plans to increase the agency’s presence on social media, creating videos and posts on how residents can better prepare for the natural hazards they may face. 

Thornton also emphasized an initiative out of North Carolina on disaster preparedness called “First 72 Is on You.” 

That initiative prepares residents in the case of a large-scale natural disaster, similar to the Joplin EF5 tornado in 2011, where the first 72 hours carry extreme importance. Thornton said in the case of those large-scale disasters, emergency services may not be able to reach some victims within the first 72 hours. 

“In those first 72 hours we want you to have a preparedness kit, things where you can be self-reliant,” said Thornton. 

He said he made significant use of CodeRED alerts in Oklahoma and said he plans to continue that use here. Residents registered for the service can receive disaster alerts on their phone, since tornado sirens are not designed to be heard inside of buildings. 

Thornton said they can also use the service for less severe situations, like a water main break or a boil advisory. 

Residents can register for CodeRED through the Warren County EMA website at https://warrencountyema.com/.