A Summit County Sheriff’s Office director has been named the regional emergency manager of the year.

The Colorado Emergency Management Association has named Summit County emergency management director Brian Bovaird as this year’s Northwest Region’s Emergency Manager of the Year, according to a news release. The Northwest Region includes the counties of Eagle, Garfield, Pitkin, Grand, Jackson, Mesa, Moffat, Rio Blanco, Routt and Summit.

Bovaird helped develop an initiative to train county and municipal employees as emergency operations surge staff, improving Summit County’s disaster response capabilities, the release states. He also recently assisted California’s emergency managers during their latest wildfires, bringing valuable insights back to Summit County, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

“Governments at all levels are constantly asked to do more with less, even in emergency response and management,” Summit County Sheriff’s Jaime FitzSimons said in a statement. “Director Bovaird has developed an innovative and effective approach to maximize local resources, enhancing safety and preparedness in Summit County.”