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Board adopts backdated disaster declaration for June 18 Smoky Hill River flooding
Summary
The commission approved Resolution 25‑24‑31 to document June 18 flood damage and enable state and federal aid processes; emergency management said the declaration will support potential FEMA public assistance.
The Saline County Board of Commissioners on July 15 adopted a backdated disaster declaration for the June 18 flooding that produced a log jam on the Smoky Hill River, approving Resolution 25‑24‑31 to record damages and help the county pursue state and federal assistance.
Michelle Wise, the county emergency management director, said staff submitted a damage assessment to the state on July 10 and that the regional coordinator advised filing a disaster declaration so the event would be eligible for possible FEMA public assistance. "If it did get moved on through the process of public assistance, that FEMA would have this on record for them," Wise said.
Commissioners asked whether the declaration would cover continuing or compounding damage if more storms occur. Wise said that if conditions worsen they would be handled under the initial declaration: "So so long as it's been declared, if it does continue to compound, it'll be just declared under that initial declaration," she said.
The motion to adopt Resolution 25‑24‑31 passed on a voice vote.
Why it matters: The formal declaration documents the event for state and federal reviewers and is a prerequisite for some types of public assistance from the Kansas Division of Emergency Management and FEMA.
