PORT ANGELES — Olympic Medical Center recently welcomed Tom Kuch as the new emergency preparedness coordinator.

Along with the Support Services team, Kuch will create and test processes and plans for effective emergency responses from OMC.

In this role, he works to ensure the organization is in continued alignment with the FEMA Hospital Incident Command System and is prepared to respond when a disaster or community emergency arises.

Kuch is a Port Angeles native and retired this year as a sergeant from the Port Angeles Police Department. He has had experience as an officer, school resource officer, detective, corporal and Olympic Peninsula Narcotics Enforcement Team (OPNET) supervisor.

Kuch joins the emergency preparedness team at OMC, which includes director Julie Black and security supervisor Logan Smith, among others throughout the organization.

“OMC is looked to as a leader in emergency preparedness, often setting the bar and presenting best practices with other facilities across the country,” Black said.

“Tom’s depth of experience in responding to emergencies will support this work at OMC.”