The Barren River Area Development District has a new disaster resiliency coordinator.

After serving for three years as BRADD’s public administration specialist, Dajana Crockett has developed relationships with local officials and emergency managers that she said will aid in her transition as BRADD’s new disaster resiliency coordinator.

A grant that BRADD received from the Economic Development Administration will fund the new position, according to Executive Director Eric Sexton.

Sexton said the disaster resiliency coordinator will help counties in the region plan and respond to disasters.

“We’re hoping that this position will kind of encompass that and be able to help us figure out how to support and expand our agency’s role while building some internal capacity on how we respond to crises,” Sexton said.

Crockett will begin her duties July 1.

“We kind of envisioned that this person will get some additional training through workshops, seminars, conferences on hazard mitigation and economic resiliency, be able to take that training and pass that down to the local level,” Sexton said.

In her previous position, Crockett said she worked on various disaster preparedness grant applications.

“I will take that experience with me in my new role to increase individual and community resilience through all phases of the disaster cycle from project development and implementation to community outreach,” Crockett said.

Crockett said a large part of her duties will involve helping when major disaster declarations are issued by governments.