Nelson Bates has been employed with the Talladega County Emergency Management Agency for the past 4 years. He also served 26 years in the United States Army and the Alabama Army National Guard. He has completed courses at the National Emergency Training Center, The Center of Domestic Preparedness, The Alabama Emergency Management Agency, The National Fire Academy, The Defense Ammunition Center, Argonne National Laboratories and numerous Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness courses.
Some of the primary goals of Talladega County EMA and Nelson Bates are: Community safety and notification from all hazards, building a cooperative working relationship with community responders and the local business community, establishing a Local Emergency Planning Committee and also to work closely and in conjunction with the Talladega County Commission.