RALEIGH - H. Doug Hoell took the oath of office July 1, becoming the new director of the Division of Emergency Management.

Hoell has worked with EM since 1978, starting as a trainer, then an operations officer.  He worked with the Federal Emergency Management Agency for several years before becoming an area coordinator for NCEM in 1985 and then an Eastern Branch manager in 1997.  He became assistant director of EM in 1998 and was in charge of the operations section.

Hoell is a graduate of N.C. State University.  He received a bechelor's degree in recreation and parks administration in 1975.  A year later, he became an administrative officer for Raleigh-Wake County Emergency Preparedness.  His first duty was the decommissioning of fallout shelters in the downtown Raleigh area.