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Emergency preparedness committee raises concern about firefighter staffing, FEMA funding and cross-border cooperation
Summary
The Emergency Preparedness Committee reported shrinking U.S. Forest Service staffing and loss of certain FEMA dollars that could affect the coming fire season; committee members said Canadian partners (Thunder Bay) remain available for mutual aid and announced local prescribed-fire staffing activity this week.
The Cook County Emergency Preparedness Committee told the Public Health Human Services Board on April 15 that local preparedness planning for the upcoming fire season faces new challenges because of reductions in U.S. Forest Service staffing and the loss of some FEMA hazard-mitigation dollars.
Commissioner Sullivan, reporting from a recent meeting at the Gunflint Ranger Station, said the committee discussed its hazard mitigation plan and voiced “grave concerns about the loss of FEMA dollars, the loss of staff to the U.S. Forest Service,” and the implications for fire-season response. Sullivan noted that Ellen Bogardna Shymanyak, who typically leads the local meeting, was out on fire duty and that Jo Mandel served as host at the ranger station.
Sullivan also told the board that despite staffing changes, Canadian partners remain available for cross-border firefighting assistance: “the good news that we found out is our Canadian partners are still our partners and so in the event of fire, we have cooperation with those coming out of Thunder Bay.” He added that local fire staff planned operations on the Gunflint Trail and nearby areas and said the county is watching the staffing and resource picture closely.
The committee recommended keeping the public informed about planned activity; Sullivan observed the county’s social-media notifications on fire staff deployments have improved over the past year. No formal county action was taken at the session; committee members flagged the funding and staffing developments for continued attention.
