ALFRED —  When Robert “Bob” Bohlmann was 15 years old, at the height of the Cold War in 1955,  he noticed that the effort to staff the local ground observer corps to spot incoming aircraft was sparse, so he stepped in to help. Within two months, volunteers were staffing 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Bob was good at volunteering and encouraging others to do the same.

A former police officer, fire chief and nuclear power security company owner, Bohlmann found a niche at York County Emergency Management Agency in 1994. He led the agency for 15 years, “retiring” in 2011.

But of course, Bohlmann failed at retirement, said York County EMA Deputy Director Dave Francoeur. He volunteered at the county level and then went to work for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, helping people through hurricanes, flooding, earthquakes and more, rising to chief of staff  at FEMA field offices around the county.

He died Thursday at Durgin Pines in Kittery following a brief illness. He was 76.

In York County and beyond, Bohlmann was the voice of emergency management. He testified before Congress five times, and coped with 18 declared disasters during his tenure in York County. As well, he mentored other EMA directors statewide.

As the county EMA director, he was that familiar, calm figure seen on the evening news, when the surf was pounding at Camp Ellis or floods were wreaking havoc in low lying areas.

Francoeur said Bohlmann was cool and calm always. 

Francoeur first met Bohlmann in 1998, during Maine’s prolonged ice storm when Francoeur  was volunteering with the American Red Cross. The two became  friends, and Bohlmann invited Francoeur to become part of the county’s search and rescue team. One day in 2001, Francoeur was in the county EMA office with Bohlmann and Deputy Director Joyce Kelley. They remarked Francoeur would be deputy one day.

“Bob saw something in me I didn’t see in myself,” Francoeur said Friday. “He was one of the best people and mentors I ever had the opportunity to work with.”

Waldo County EMA Director Dale Rowley said Bohlmann was known as the “father of emergency management.” Bohlmann trained him, Rowley said, and would drive to  Waldo County to teach a class or evaluate an exercise. He started the certification program for emergency managers in Maine and was very active with the International Association of Emergency Managers.

“(His death) is a big loss for Maine and for emergency management,” said Rowley.

“Today, York County lost a committed public servant and friend in the passing of Bob Bohlmann,” according to a statement issued by York County government Friday afternoon. 

“For the past 22 years, Bob made it his life’s mission to help those in need through his work within the county and FEMA,” according to the statement. “Bob was also very active in his hometown of Wells through his service to various committees, his church and as the assistant chief for the Fire Department. Bob always brought a sense of peace and hope to whatever situation was being dealt with. His mentorship and collaboration is a great loss to us all. The friendships that Bob created through his work will be remembered forever.

“The county mourns the loss of our good friend, mentor and colleague and extends our deepest sympathies to his family.”

“He was a good man,” said County Commissioner Michael Cote.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or [email protected].