Josh Morton has been sworn in as the 2025-2026 president of the USA Council of the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM-USA) at the President’s Banquet held in conjunction with the Annual Conference in Louisville, Kentucky.
Upon taking office, Mr. Morton said, “As a profession, we stand at a pivotal moment. The national conversation around the future of emergency management is shifting, and it’s more important than ever that our voices help guide that direction. IAEM-USA remains committed to ensuring that the path forward is shaped by emergency managers. Working together, we can strengthen our communities and build a more resilient nation.”
Mr. Morton currently serves as the director of the Saluda County (SC) Emergency Management Division. During his tenure as Saluda County’s EM director since 2012, he has managed several federally declared disasters, including Hurricane Helene. He was also named the 2024 South Carolina Emergency Management Association Emergency Management Director of the Year.
Before his time in Saluda County, Mr. Morton worked as a regional emergency manager with the South Carolina Emergency Management Division from 2007 to 2012. His exposure to the emergency management profession began as a volunteer firefighter while in high school. His first role in emergency management was as an emergency planner and CERT team coordinator for the Chester County (SC) Emergency Management Agency. Josh’s wife, Bethany, is also an emergency manager and has served in the Regional Emergency Management Program at the South Carolina Emergency Management Division since 2008.
Josh served as IAEM-USA Region 4 president-elect from 2018-2020, and Region 4 president from 2020-2022. In 2021, he was elected by the regional presidents to represent them as the at-large member of the IAEM-USA Executive Committee. He is the first South Carolinian to serve as IAEM-USA President.