Long Beach's Director of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Communications, Reginald “Reggie” Harrison, will retire on Oct. 22, 2026, closing out a tenure in which he built the city's emergency management systems from the ground up since 2014. City Manager Tom Modica has named Kevin Lee, the city's Chief Communications Officer, as acting director while Long Beach runs a national search for a permanent replacement.
The city announced the retirement on Oct. 6, according to sigtrib.com, which reported that Harrison oversaw citywide emergency management, 9-1-1 emergency communications and the city's Homeland Security Grants Program during his time leading the Department of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Communications. As Precinct Reporter News notes, Harrison joined the City of Long Beach in 1996 and was appointed deputy city manager in 2001, building a government career that also included stints as housing authority bureau manager, economic development bureau manager, and acting director of the community development department, the planning and building department, and Long Beach Airport.
A Department Built From Scratch
As the city's Emergency Manager, Harrison completed Long Beach's first comprehensive Mass Evacuation and Shelter-in-Place Plan and developed a Family Assistance Center plan to support families separated during a disaster, per the same account from sigtrib.com. He also created a 9-1-1 backup center for use if the primary center goes down, implemented the Alert Long Beach mass notification system, and introduced artificial intelligence into the department's 9-1-1 quality assurance program — described as the city's first application of AI technology, according to Precinct Reporter News.
Under Harrison's leadership, the city's Emergency Operations Center was activated for large-scale incidents including the COVID-19 pandemic, the station's report states. The center was also activated for First Amendment rights activities related to George Floyd's murder, and the city partnered with federal agencies and other departments to open an emergency intake site that housed 1,600 unaccompanied minors from the southern border awaiting reunification with family or sponsors, per Precinct Reporter News.
City Manager Praises Harrison's Legacy
“His leadership has helped our city prepare for and respond to some of its most difficult moments,” Modica said of Harrison, according to sigtrib.com. Modica also said Harrison strengthened emergency communications and built partnerships to serve residents, and said he was grateful for Harrison's impact and wished him well in retirement, per the same report.
Harrison, for his part, said he was grateful to residents, the business community and city leadership for entrusting him with impactful positions, and said he was proud of his team's work building a more resilient Long Beach, according to Precinct Reporter News. In retirement, Harrison plans to travel and spend time with his family, sigtrib.com reports.
What Kept Harrison Up at Night
In an earlier interview with the Long Beach Post, Harrison identified a major earthquake as the most probable disaster facing Long Beach. He also pointed to a broader set of climate-related risks. “You look at sea level rise, extreme heat, cold, rain. We have low-lying areas in Long Beach that flood,” Harrison told the Long Beach Post.
Harrison described a winter storm team that monitors conditions at the beaches, while Public Works keeps storm outlets clear and the Marine Department protects the coastline with berms, he told the outlet. “We have a winter storm team to keep an eye on what's going on at the beaches,” he said.
Kevin Lee Steps Into the Acting Role
Lee has worked for the city since 2017 and currently serves as Chief Communications Officer, overseeing citywide communications including emergency and crisis messaging, according to sigtrib.com. He has served in communications leadership roles during the COVID-19 pandemic, the emergency Long Beach shelter for migrant children, a network security incident, the city's response to the January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires, Tropical Storm Hilary and other significant storms, and coastal impacts tied to recent hurricanes, per Precinct Reporter News.
Lee has also worked on the city's current response to the proclaimed emergency tied to the 2026-27 El Niño and winter storm season, sigtrib.com reports. He has completed incident command system and emergency management training through FEMA and CSTI, a division of the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services, according to Precinct Reporter News. A Long Beach resident and Cal State Long Beach alumnus, Lee was named a CSULB 49 Under 49 honoree and one of Engaging Local Government Leaders' Top 100 Influencers in Local Government, per the same report.
The Department of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Communications carries a mission to protect community and first-responder lives and property through planning, training and communication, and employs 91 full-time staff, according to Precinct Reporter News. Lee will serve as acting director while the city conducts its national recruitment for a permanent successor.
