About | Mercer County WV Emergency Management

Meet Tim Farley

West Virginia Freedom Award: The late Tim Farley honored with prestigious distinction by Greg Jordan, Bluefield Daily Telegraph

Tim Farley recipient of 2021 West Virginia Department of Homeland Security Freedom Awards for excellence in emergency management

The following article appeared in the Bluefield Daily Telegraph and was written by Blake Stowers on March 7, 2015:

Mercer County Emergency Services Director stands tall for those in need

During his time as director, Farley believes that circumstances have improved over the last ten years.

“Early on we had to deal mostly with making phone calls and going door to door. Now days we have computers and wireless alert systems through the cell phone systems,” Farley said.

According to Farley flooding always stands out as a memorable event.

“We find people still using roads that were flooded and come to find out that there’s been some undercutting in the culvert area and the road is washed out underneath the asphalt,” Farley said.

Farley has also battled numerous snow storms. “Ice storms in the past have been something else to deal with,” Farley said.

He also does flood control management for the county.

Farley coordinates efforts between local fire departments, emergency medical services, and the police departments. He also works closely with the Red Cross, Salvation Army, and Bluefield Union Mission during emergency situations.

“We try to have a good rapport with everybody,” Farley said.

Recently Farley has been struggling with loss of sleep. All of the flooding and snowstorms have made life more hectic for this local administrator.

“We’re running from here to there. Making sure we coordinate with the department of highways, where waters crossing the roads, and making sure they have some way to put up high water signs to prevent a tragedy from happening,” Farley said.

Farley doesn’t understand why people choose to drive in high water.

“I don’t understand it. We use the slogan in flood management, turn around don’t drown. That is very good advice,” Farley said.

Farley stated that when the water starts rising and residents are accustom to flood waters they become complacent. This mentality can lead to dangerous situations. “They think this is going to be the same as it was in the past and they tend to wait to see if it’s going to get any worse. By that time they find out it’s worse. Their decision to wait and see what happens is not a good decision because then they can’t leave and they can’t be rescued,” Farley said.

Farley stated that flooding trouble-spots are mostly around rivers, creeks and streams. Locally, trouble spots occur in Spanishburg, Bramwell, Green Valley, Montcalm, Brush Creek, and around the Princeton area.

“Flooding is one of the scariest things to deal with. You can’t do anything with water. It’ll flood and you can’t prevent it. Water does what it wants to do,” Farley said.

Farley urges citizens to take responsibilities for themselves during precarious weather situations.

“I enjoy trying to help people out. People get caught up in something that is not their own doing and we try to help people mitigate through circumstances and give them the right direction in who they can call, and give them some hope,” Farley said.

Farley is also Fire Chief of the Bluestone Valley Fire Department. He has worked with the fire department for 20 years.

Farley has an electrical engineering degree and a degree in business administration.

The Mercer County Office of Emergency Management works with all emergency agencies, federal, state, and local officials to stay abreast of any threats, hazards or other emergency situations that may occur. MCOEM also coordinates emergency planning and evacuation for residents of Mercer County during flooding.

Tim Farley
2021 Recipient of West Virginia Department of Homeland Security Freedom Award

December 7, 2021

W.Va. emergency leaders receive DHS Freedom Awards
Awards recognize excellence in emergency management

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Gov. Jim Justice and his Department of Homeland Security are honoring the commitment of county emergency managers with West Virginia Freedom Awards.

Launched in 2020, the awards recognize emergency officials in six categories: lifesaving, innovation, teamwork, perseverance, leadership, and lifetime achievement.

“Through their dedication to service, these men and women are among the first to run to the fire," said Justice. “They have helped lead their county's response through the COVID-19 pandemic while responding to flooding and any other emergencies that arise."

Homeland Security Secretary Jeff Sandy announced the awards during Tuesday's virtual meeting of the West Virginia Emergency Management Council. The 2021 honorees will be given the Freedom Pin, developed by Sandy in 2017.

“With this award, we seek to recognize the commitment of emergency managers who go above and beyond to keep our citizens safe," Sandy said. “The men and women who are called to emergency management spend countless hours preparing for natural and manmade disasters to protect our communities."

DHS coordinates with 55 county and three city emergency management agencies through the Emergency Management Division, overseen by Director G.E. McCabe.

“I am forever grateful to our emergency managers' commitment to service," said McCabe. “Their diligence to assuring the safety of our citizens and communities is made clear through action every day."

The 2021 honorees:

Lifesaving: Director Tim Farley, Mercer County Office of Emergency Management.
Director Farley was the Mercer County Emergency Services Director from 2005 to the time of his death in January 2021. He worked tirelessly as an emergency manager and fire chief to help protect and save the lives of those in Mercer County and across the state.

About the Freedom Pin

The Freedom Pin honors the brave men and women who have died in the line of duty since the state was formed in 1863. As of December 2021, 140 members of the Department have perished protecting the freedoms of West Virginia's citizens.

The Freedom Pin is issued to the families of deceased heroes and to federal, state, county, and city employees and citizens who have excelled in protecting West Virginia from dangers to our way of life due to natural and man-made disasters and threats both foreign and domestic.

Tim Farley was the Mercer County Emergency Services Director from 2005 to the time of his death. His life was devoted to service through the volunteer fire department and helping in all forms of disaster mitigation and preparedness. Farley was a member of the first class to graduate from the West Virginia Emergency Management Basic Academy in 2019.

Farley also served as the floodplain coordinator for Mercer County, ensuring no structures were placed within the floodplain and making sure mitigation measures were taken to reduce flood damages.
He was extremely helpful to his emergency management counterparts in other counties. Always willing to assist, he traveled through the state to aid fellow emergency managers or assist in an exercise or drill.

Farley graduated from Spanishburg High School where he excelled as an athlete, leading his basketball team to its first ever 20-0 record. He was named to the West Virginia All-State Conference team and later continued his basketball career at Bluefield State College while earning a dual degree in electrical engineering and business administration.

He was instrumental in establishing the Bluestone Valley Fire Department, serving as a founding charter member as well as the chief of the fire department until his passing.

Until his last day spent making sure a COVID-19 vaccination clinic ran smoothly, Farley's was a life truly devoted to service.

ARTICLE FROM BLUEFIELD DAILY TELEGRAPH

December 8, 2021

West Virginia Freedom Award: The late Tim Farley honored with prestigious distinction

Mercer County Emergency Services Director Tim Farley manages any kind of natural disaster that comes his way.

“The major responsibility for emergency services is to work with disasters. Flood, heavy snow, tornado — any kind of natural disasters, any kind of man made disasters that may occur in Mercer County,” Farley said.

Farley has been the emergency services director of Mercer County for 10 years. A couple of days out of the week Farley has conference calls with the West Virginia Department of Homeland Security. They update him with information of any issues he should be made aware of in the area.