Michael Walter Augustyniak, known to almost everyone as “Augie,” began his career with the New Jersey State Police (NJSP), and became a true expert in the field of Emergency Management. In his more than 33 years there, he developed policies and procedures still in effect today, and trained countless others in their implementation.

Mike was an esteemed and beloved colleague and friend to many.  He accomplished much in his long tenure with the NJSP, playing important and lasting roles in many assignments. He worked in the Emergency Response Bureau and was the Emergency Management Section’s hazardous materials (HAZMAT) expert. As an instructor, he developed and conducted exercises, provided technical assistance visits and, over a period of five years, almost single-handedly brought the HAZMAT annexes of the State’s 566 municipalities and 21 counties up to the standards demanded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Later, when the Section reorganized, Mike moved to the Operational Planning Bureau and served as a Shift Chief when the State Emergency Operations Center was activated. Mike soon became the Section’s, and indeed several governors’, go-to-guy in weather situations during hurricane season. 

He was instrumental in developing plans for the State’s new fusion center, the Regional Operations Intelligence Center, and was a stalwart during the Y2K transition and numerous major federal exercises. Mike also contributed his talents for several years to the Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP), traveling nationally and internationally to assess jurisdictions for accreditation, and playing a key role in the NJSP’s initial accreditation and re-accreditation.

Mike was a deeply thoughtful and intellectual professional. He cared earnestly about the mission and always saw the potential of the organization and strived untiringly to help everyone achieve it. His knowledge of the capabilities and limitations of state agencies was unsurpassed. He was unquestionably one of the most respected and versatile civilian employees in New Jersey State Government.  

After he retired, Mike continued to use his emergency management and planning skills as a contractor, coordinating and developing policies for New Jersey Task Force 1, one of 28 FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Teams. He assisted NJTF1 in gaining EMAP accreditation, and ensured its policies and procedures met the benchmarks required to conform to FEMA Administrative Readiness guidelines. Mike also co-taught several classes at the Emergency Management Institute in Emmitsburg, Maryland. And for a change of pace, he worked several hours a week at the tiny and beloved Crosswicks Library in Crosswicks, New Jersey, a mile from his home, and served as primary editor for his father’s book, Adventures of a Young Marine in WWII, published in 2018.

Mike was the best husband, father, brother, son, and friend anyone could ask for. He will be remembered most for his sense of humor and infectious laugh, his thoughtful and loving nature, his cleverness and curiosity, and his incredible zest for life.

In the words of his beloved Star Trek, may he “live long and prosper!”

Click here to learn more about the Scholarship Program and how to apply.