Mono County Appoints Nick Way as Emergency Management Director

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mono County Appoints Nick Way as Emergency Management Director

MONO COUNTY, CA (November 5, 2026) — Mono County is pleased to announce the appointment of Nick Way, MS, CFO, as the County’s new Emergency Management Director. Bringing more than 16 years of public safety, incident response, and executive leadership experience, Way steps into the role with deep-rooted personal and professional ties to Mono County communities.

Way’s extensive background spans leadership across multiple public safety disciplines in rural local-government environments. His public service in Mono County includes serving as Fire Chief and Fire Captain for the Bridgeport Fire Protection District, as well as a decade with the Mono County Sheriff’s Office as a Correctional Deputy Sheriff and Search and Rescue Coordinator. Most recently, he worked as an Implementation Manager for First Due, leading nationwide rollouts of incident management, emergency planning, and situational awareness software for public safety agencies.

“We are pleased to welcome Nick Way into this critical leadership role for Mono County,” said Jennifer Kreitz, Chair of the Mono County Board of Supervisors. “Nick’s lifelong dedication to our region, paired with his extensive hands-on experience in fire service, law enforcement, and search and rescue, makes him uniquely qualified to lead our emergency management efforts. He understands the distinct geographic, weather, and wildland-urban interface challenges our communities face. His proven ability to bring agencies together will ensure Mono County remains prepared for the risks and ready for response and recovery.”

Throughout his career, Way has directed complex emergency responses and all-hazards preparedness initiatives under the Incident Command System (ICS), National Incident Management System (NIMS), and Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS). His operational experience is complemented by a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership from Columbia Southern University and the prestigious Chief Fire Officer (CFO) designation from the Center for Public Safety Excellence.

“Having spent much of my life serving the communities of Mono County, I understand the unique challenges our region faces and the importance of strong relationships between agencies and the public,” said Way. “My experience across hands-on emergency response, organizational leadership, and public safety technology has provided me with a comprehensive perspective on emergency management. As Director of Emergency Management, my top priorities will be to strengthen interagency cooperation, improve communication and transparency, enhance community emergency preparedness, and build lasting trust and confidence within the communities we serve.”

In his new role, Way will oversee countywide disaster preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery operations, working closely with local fire districts, law enforcement, state and federal partners, tribal governments, and local residents to advance community safety and resilience.

For more information about Mono County Emergency Management, visit monocounty.ca.gov.