Emergency manager briefs commissioners on local disaster declaration roles and recovery process

The county emergency manager briefed commissioners July 1 on roles and responsibilities during disasters, emphasizing that disasters “begin locally and they’re handled locally” and explaining how local, county, state and federal declarations interact.

The manager said cities and counties can declare emergencies, and that a county declaration is required before the state will pursue a federal (Stafford Act) declaration on the county’s behalf. “As the chair, you can sign a declaration for a seven‑day period without the board,” the manager said, explaining the process for immediate response and later board ratification for longer declarations.

Staff described routine preparedness activities—monitoring forecasts, notifying the public and coordinating with PSAP, rural fire chiefs and the Weather Service. During response and damage assessment, county staff compile infrastructure damage reports, tally costs, and coordinate with the state emergency operations center to determine whether state and federal thresholds for assistance may be met.

The manager warned that recovery phases can take years and involve substantial costs and cost‑shares. Commissioners were told the county’s role grows during recovery, when funds, priorities and long‑term repairs are determined. The manager said the county’s recovery experiences from past disasters informed the briefing and that staff will provide binders and additional materials to commissioners for reference.

Commissioners thanked staff for the concise briefing and said the information helped clarify their roles and the county’s responsibilities during and after an emergency.