Deputy EMS Chief/ Deputy EMD
Stamford EMS/City of Stamford
Stamford, CT
No one should suffer or perish because we failed to imagine, prepare, or train to do our job."" This principle has guided Bill Ackley throughout his career in emergency medical services and emergency management.
Bill began his EMS career in Bridgeport, Connecticut, in 1981 before joining the FDNY in 1987. As a USAR Medical Specialist, he responded to the 1991 14th Street Subway Crash and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, experiences that shaped his approach to disaster response.
Since joining Stamford Emergency Medical Services in 1999, Bill has served as a paramedic, Operations Supervisor, Captain, and now Deputy Chief, leading preparedness efforts for major events, weather emergencies, and critical incidents. In 2022, he was appointed Deputy Emergency Management Director for the City of Stamford, helping design and facilitate semiannual tabletop exercises that strengthen coordination among local, regional, state, and federal partners.
Bill has taught at the New Britain EMS Academy, the University of New Haven, and LSU's National Center for Biomedical Research & Training. He earned a B.S. in Public Safety Administration from Charter Oak State College in 2023 and holds Connecticut Paramedic License #00001 (assigned alphabetically), along with numerous instructor certifications.
Special events—concerts, 5Ks, parades, and large public gatherings—place unique demands on emergency services. While many events are routine and uneventful, they can quickly become disorganized and stretch resources beyond normal operations. This session explores how one community transformed its approach to special event planning by building a dedicated, cross-functional team that integrates public safety, operations, and community stakeholders from the earliest planning stages.
EMS Deputy Chief Bill Ackley, alongside Police Captain Doug Deiso, will discuss how their team was developed and the key elements that brought it all together—from standardized planning protocols and risk assessment frameworks to interagency coordination practices designed specifically for special event environments. Attendees will learn how these processes strengthened not only event-specific outcomes, but also enhanced day-to-day operational readiness.
Participants will leave with practical tools and lessons learned for building their own integrated special event planning teams, along with strategies for translating event-planning discipline into lasting improvements in daily operations and community resilience.
