GULF SHORES – When you see something you want, go for it.

That’s what Gulf Shores Battalion Chief Mitchell Sims did recently. Now he’s the new EMA Director for Baldwin County.

Fire Chief Hartly Brokenshaw is losing a good man, but he’s happy the 27-year city employee has moved into the county position.

“A lot of things happened in the past week real fast,” Brokenshaw said. “It’s a great honor that Mitchell, one of our battalion chiefs has been contracted by the county commission to be our EMA director.”

“To say the least,” Sims said. “I’m honored by this great opportunity.”

Brokenshaw said in a flurry of phone calls during about a two-day period, Sims sought and received the appointment to the county position.

“It’s the day after the previous person had been let go and I get a phone call and he goes ‘I’m going to apply for the job, for the EMA director,’” he said. “And I said ‘here’s your sign.’ After they’ve had so many people. I said ‘what are you going to do? Do you turn a resume, what are you going to do?’”

Sims had a more direct method in mind.

“I’m going to call them all,” Brokenshaw recalled. “And that’s what he did and that’s actually how it worked.

“He called them up and less than 48 hours later he called me and said ‘they want me to sign a contract. But I’m not leaving there until I put the time in that I’m supposed to put in.’”

Sims brought along an impressive group to speak on his behalf and tanked them at the council meeting on March 12. Brokenshaw, Mayor Robert Craft, Police Chief Edward Delmore and Lt. Lt. Bo Smith of Gulf Shores Fire and Rescue.

“On a personal note, let me say thank you to the mayor, to my chief and to Chief Delmore, and Lt. Smith for standing up for me last week and verbally supporting me in front of that leadership group up there,” Sims said.

Craft says he believes Sims will be an even greater asset to the city in his new countywide role.

“We are extremely proud of you,” Craf said. “It’s like as a father watching a child grow up. You’re one of the city’s children. You grew up on the city and you know what pride you have in your kids when they do something well, the way this city feels about you now. With great pride.

“You hAve risen to this level, you are certainly capable of this job and there’s no doubt you’re more valuable to us there in taking care of this entire county than you were here.”

Sims acknowledged there are many challenges ahead in his new job and that the agency has been in turmoil with several changes at the top in the past two years. There have been at least three people in the same position during the two years and in May of 2011 the agency received a bad review from the state.

“That’s what I’m doing right now, looking for ways to improve an agency that’s had a turbulent past two years, and that’s all in the past,” Sims said. “Things are moving ahead, I hit the ground running.

“I encourage you to let me know about any questions you may have, concerns you may have or things that we need to fix.”