HANCOCK COUNTY, Miss. (WLOX) - Hancock County Emergency Management Agency Director Brian Adam retired after 22 and a half years leading the department through major disasters, including Hurricane Katrina and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Adam, known as “Hooty,” became EMA director just two years before Hurricane Katrina devastated South Mississippi in 2005. He said the decision to retire felt right after a 40-year career in fire service and emergency management.

“I’ve always been told that you’ll know when you’re ready, and I’m ready,” Adam said. “My family’s ready. My wife especially is ready, and I can’t complain about the career that I had.”

Adam said Hurricane Katrina remains a defining moment of his tenure, particularly the community’s response to the disaster.

“The resilience

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