Greitens appoints fire marshal, emergency management head

In an announcement Feb. 8, 2017, Ernie Rhodes was named by Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens to be the director of the State Emergency Management Agency.
In an announcement Feb. 8, 2017, Ernie Rhodes was named by Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens to be the director of the State Emergency Management Agency.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens has appointed two new heads of the state's emergency management and fire safety divisions.

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FR170136 AP

FILE - In this Sept. 22, 2012 file photo, Mississippi head coach Hugh Freeze applauds his team in the first half of an NCAA college football game against Tulane in New Orleans. Freeze says he grabbed his phone on Sunday for one final text exchange with Auburn coach Gus Malzahn. The gist of the conversation: It’s hard playing against friends, so we’ll talk when this is over. Mississippi plays Auburn Saturday, Oct. 5 at Auburn. (AP Photo/Bill Haber, File)

Greitens appointed Ernie Rhodes to be the director of the State Emergency Management Agency and Tim Bean as the state Fire Marshal in an announcement Wednesday at the St. Louis Fire Academy.

Rhodes currently serves as the fire chief for the West County EMS and Fire Protection District. He previously served as the director of Emergency Management in St. Charles, Missouri.

Bean currently serves as the fire chief for the West Plains Fire Department and as the Howell County assistant SWAT Team leader and reserve deputy. He previously served as a volunteer firefighter.

Greitens participated in a training exercise with the St. Louis Fire Department after the announcement.