Biography

Dr. David A. McEntire is a professor teaching Emergency Management, Homeland Security and National Security courses in the Emergency Services and Criminal Justice Departments at Utah Valley University.

Dr. McEntire attended the Graduate School of International Studies at the University of Denver. While pursuing his degree, he worked for the International and Emergency Services Departments at the American Red Cross in Colorado. His dissertation explored disasters in developing countries and critically examined existing disaster policy recommendations in the mid-1990s.

Prior to his arrival at UVU, Dr. McEntire was a professor at the nation’s first degree program in Emergency Management - the Emergency Administration and Planning Program (EADP) at the University of North Texas. During his tenure at UNT he served as the Coordinator for the undergraduate and PhD programs, as the Associate Dean in the College of Public Affairs and Community Service, and as the Director of Summer Session for the university. He has also served as an adjunct for Florida Atlantic University, Jacksonville State University, and California State University Long Beach.

Dr. McEntire’s academic interests include emergency management theory, international disasters, community preparedness, response coordination, and vulnerability reduction. He has received several grants—funded by the Natural Hazards Center, the National Science Foundation, and other sources—that allowed him to conduct research in Peru, the Dominican Republic, Texas, New York, California, Haiti and Utah.

Dr. McEntire is the author or editor of several books including Disaster Response and Recovery (Wiley), Introduction to Homeland Security (Wiley), Disciplines, Disasters and Emergency Management (Charles C. Thomas), and Comparative Emergency Management (FEMA). He has published more than 115 articles and his research has appeared in multiple encyclopedias, Public Administration Review, the Australian Journal of Emergency Management, Disasters, the International Journal of Mass Emergencies and Disasters, Journal of Emergency Management, Journal of the Environment and Sustainable Development, Sustainable Communities Review, International Journal of Emergency Management, Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, Towson Journal of International Affairs, Journal of the American Society of Professional Emergency Planners, and the Journal of International and Public Affairs. His articles in Disaster Prevention and Management received Highly Commended and Outstanding Paper awards.

Dr. McEntire completed an instructor guide on disaster response operations for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). He has also published chapters in the Handbook of Disaster Research (Springer), the Handbook of Disaster Management (CRC Press), Emergency Management: Principles and Practices for Local Government (ICMA), Critical Issues in Homeland Security (Westview Press), Handbook of Emergency Response (CRC Press), Preparedness and Response for Catastrophic Events (CRC Press), and Critical Issues in Disaster Science and Management (FEMA).

Dr. McEntire received funding to conduct terrorism-response training for FEMA in Arkansas and Oklahoma. He was a contributing author for a study of Texas Homeland Security Preparedness for the Century Foundation as well as three IQ reports for the International City/County Management Association. McEntire has presented papers internationally (in Hungary, Mexico, and Norway), at the National Science Foundation, at the National Academy of Sciences, at the Disaster Research Center, at the Natural Hazards Center, and at the Higher Education Conference at FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute in Emmitsburg, Maryland.

McEntire is a former member of Congressman Burgess’ Homeland Security Advisory Board, FEMA Region VI Advisory Board, ICMA’s Advisory Board, and the Fire Protection Publications Advisory Board. He has reviewed books for several publishers and is on the editorial staff for the Journal of Emergency Management.
Dr. McEntire is the former Dean of the College of Health and Public Service at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. He was responsible for the oversight of numerous undergraduate and graduate courses/programs in the areas of dental hygiene, nursing, public and community health and respiratory therapy. He also worked with other important programs including aviation (professional pilot and aviation management), criminal justice, forensic science/investigation, emergency services, homeland security, national security and public service. During his tenure, a number of new programs were added and enrollment increased dramatically (leading the university in growth percentage over the past 3 years). He helped to bring in over $2.5 million in donations. With these and other appropriated funds he was able build a lab and offices for the Physician Assistant Program and renovate Hangar B, the Crime Scene House, the Dental Hygiene Clinic, the Nursing Lab, and the EMT/Paramedic Lab. He also helped programs acquire 13 new aircraft, 2 aircraft simulators and 3 fire engines.

In 2010, Dr. McEntire was recognized as the Dr. B. Wayne Blanchard Award Recipient for Academic Excellence in Emergency Management Higher Education. He was given the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Award (provided by School of Public Administration at the University of Central Florida) at the 2018 FEMA Higher Education Conference. He is also recognized as a Senior Fellow for the Higher Education Academy – an international, non-profit organization that promotes teaching excellence.

Contact Information_

David A. McEntire, Ph.D., SFHEA
Utah Valley University
david.mcentire@uvu.edu

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