David Nicewinter has over 25 years of experience in the field of aviation and emergency management. Prior to coming to the Raleigh Durham International Airport as Director of Emergency Operations, David was an Airport Operations Manager at Tampa International Airport. As a Duty Operations Manager at Tampa, David responded to terminal issues, airport emergencies along with being the airport’s principal emergency management coordinator responsible for maintaining the Airport Emergency Plan and all preparedness exercises to include the FAA required Triennial Exercise. During his career in Tampa, David was able to develop strong partnerships with emergency management stakeholders, created the Airport’s first Family Assistance Plan and Family Assistance Support Team. He worked closely with the National Weather Service to have Tampa International Airport the first commercial service airport in Florida to be designated “Storm Ready”.
Before joining the Raleigh Durham Airport Authority, David was a Senior Emergency Planner with IEM, a North Carolina based emergency management consulting firm. As a Senior Emergency Planner at IEM, he conducted airfield assessments for FEMA sponsored disaster preparedness plans and developed emergency action plans for various industries. During the initial COVID surge he was deployed by IEM to New York City working for the New York City Emergency Management Division (NYCEM). He worked in the logistics section processing PPE requests and dispatching mortuary needs to city medical facilities. Additionally, David returned to Florida for deployments to the State’s Emergency Operations Center working in the Operations Section supporting COVID vaccination and testing programs.
David is a FEMA Certified Master Exercise Practitioner (MEP) having earned Mastery Level completing his capstone exercise requirement with Tampa International Airport’s 2019 Full Scale Triennial Exercise. This exercise is published in the library at FEMA’s National Emergency Training Center in Emmitsburg, MD.
