May 04, 2025
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Bureau County’s Emergency Management Agency leadership changes hands

Longest tenured volunteer to replace outgoing director

By Kim Shute
Bureau County EMA will have a new director beginning Aug. 1. Adam Lind, right, has been hired by the County Board to replace outgoing director Keenan Campbell.

Bureau County Emergency Management Agency will have a new director beginning Aug. 1. Adam Lind (right) has been hired by the County Board to replace outgoing director Keenan Campbell. (Kim Shute)

The Bureau County Board approved the hiring Tuesday of Adam Lind as director of Bureau County Emergency Management Agency to succeed outgoing director Keenan Campbell.

Campbell spent 27 years in public service, including the last eight years as Bureau County EMA director. His last day as director will be July 31.

Campbell’s tenure has included the transition of the Bureau County from an Emergency Services Disaster Agency to an Emergency Management Agency.

During his tenure, Campbell also oversaw the implementation of the Ready Bureau app, Public Damage Assessment GIS Dashboards and the first UAV drone program for an EMA.

Notable responses during his time with the agency included the COVID-19 emergency, Thanksgiving Day Amtrak incident, communications tower failure at BuEComm from the derecho and the DePue flood.

Campbell was one of the founding members of the Northwest Illinois Incident Management Assistance Team. He was awarded the State of Illinois Emergency Manager of the Year in 2017 and Navy recognition from the Commanding Officer of Naval Station Great Lakes for his efforts in locating a missing child with a drone during a deployment.

“It has been the greatest honor and privilege of my career to serve all the citizens and visitors of Bureau County over the last eight years,” Campbell said. “Our agency is a shining star in the region and the state of Illinois. I am confident in the abilities of Mr. Lind, and feel like he will continue the very important mission of Bureau County EMA.”

Lind is a lifelong Bureau County resident, having grown up in Princeton. He is the longest tenured EMA volunteer starting with the agency in 1998. Most recently Lind served as the communications unit leader for Bureau County EMA. Lind will assume the position of EMA director Aug. 1. He resides in Spring Valley with his wife, Randi.

A retirement open house for Campbell will be from 3 to 8 p.m. July 28 at the Bureau County Metro Center, 837 Park Avenue West, Princeton. Food and refreshments will be provided.