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Medina County EMA reports 55 incidents in 2024, outlines training, grants and radio-tower work
Summary
The county Emergency Management Agency reported 55 incidents in 2024, described training milestones toward a functional dive team and hazmat certifications, listed outstanding grant draws of about $407,770, and said the radio tower project and mitigation plan are in progress.
Medina County’s Emergency Management Agency reported that countywide incident count for 2024 was 55 and outlined training milestones, ongoing mitigation work and grant activity during a commissioners’ meeting.
EMA said the 2024 incident total included 28 fire investigations, 10 hazardous-material responses and multiple technical-rescue incidents; the agency also reported 1,321 total training hours for the all‑hazards team and a series of certifications and exercises to build a functional dive team and hazmat-capable personnel.
EMA representative Ben (identified in the record as “Ben from EMA”) told commissioners that 2024 responses included rope rescues (3), structural-collapse responses (3), two child‑reduction response assists, two SWAT assists, one “CHEESE box” callout (hazmat/technical term as used in the presentation), one storm‑damage assessment and one water rescue. For 2025 to date, the agency reported 10 incidents and listed ongoing projects: specifications for a planned radio tower for the sheriff’s department are expected from the contractor in the coming weeks; the county mitigation plan is near completion; and the emergency operations plan is almost complete. The county remains in Homeland Security Region 5 for most functions, with intelligence functions addressed in Region 2 per recent interagency discussion.
EMA also reported $407,770 in outstanding grant funds awaiting drawdown, including Homeland Security grant funds (for the radio tower), a Hazardous Materials Emergency Planning grant (for a flow study), a payroll grant to support EMA staffing, and other training or planning grants. The FEMA Community Rating System renewal was submitted and approved, which the agency said provides flood‑insurance credits for insured residents while the county remains certified.
The EMA representative noted recent exercises: an ice rescue certification hosted at Earhart Fire Department, a volunteer reception center exercise with about 50 volunteers, a debrief/presentation on a large chemical incident with local partners, and hazmat classes planned for the year. EMA said pool and open‑water sessions remain on the dive‑team calendar and that classroom course work is complete. The agency reminded the public that the statewide tornado-siren test was scheduled for 09:50 the following morning.
The presentation contained operational and grant details but no new county policy or ordinance proposals. Commissioners acknowledged the update and thanked EMA staff for the training and interagency coordination.
