Director's Office

Ruben D. Almaguer, MPA, MA
Interim Director

Mr. Ruben D. Almaguer currently serves as the Interim Director for the Florida Division of Emergency Management, appointed by Governor Charlie Crist on May 12, 2009.

Mr. Almaguer was appointed by Governor Charlie Crist as Deputy Director on January 2, 2007.  In that position Mr. Almaguer oversaw the day-to-day operations of the agency, including direct supervision the functional areas tasked with Preparedness, Response, Recovery, Mitigation, and Finance and Administration.  Mr. Almaguer previously served as a Division Chief and Paramedic for the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department, the sixth largest fire service in the nation, for over 20 years.

Mr. Almaguer has extensive hands-on emergency management disaster experience responding to over 25 local, state, national and international disasters including earthquakes, bombings, floods, and hurricanes in Venezuela, Columbia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Turkey, Taiwan, and Africa.  He also responded to the Oklahoma City Bombing, the 9/11 Pentagon Attack, hurricanes Andrew and Katrina, and many others.

Mr. Almaguer was born in Cuba, but grew up in Miami, Florida.  He graduated with a Masters of Public Administration from Florida International University and completed the Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.  He also received a Masters of Arts in Homeland Security and Defense from the Naval Postgraduate School.  

Mr. Almaguer is a Certified Emergency Manager, a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Incident Support Team Leader, and a licensed paramedic.

He has been married for 22 years and has two older children.

Updated:
May 15, 2009 16:13