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Cass County seeks FEMA sign-off on regional mitigation plan; federal partners to run mass‑gathering exercises in Fargo
Summary
County emergency management staff told the commission a KLJ‑prepared regional hazard mitigation plan is pending FEMA approval and described upcoming federal tabletop and training events in Fargo, rolling‑barrier equipment and a grant transfer on the consent agenda.
Cass County emergency management officials told the commission that a regional hazard mitigation plan prepared by KLJ is awaiting final approval from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and that federal partners will stage a tabletop exercise and training in Fargo focused on mass gatherings.
The county has placed a grant transfer on the consent agenda as a placeholder while it waits for FEMA approval. “Those aren't funds we've received yet, and not until we receive a final approval from FEMA can we get those funds placed in that account,” a county emergency management official said. He said the KLJ draft runs more than 300 pages and is being reviewed jointly with the state DES so communities can seek expedited FEMA review.
The plan covers all incorporated communities in Cass County; county staff said similar resolutions asking each local governing body to sign off are being circulated to allow combined review and faster processing by FEMA. The county official cautioned readers not to focus on formatting in the draft, saying the “content will still stay the same because that's factual.”
Commissioners heard that the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) selected Fargo to host a first‑responder tabletop exercise focused on mass gatherings after reviewing national applications. County staff described the visit as a win for local emergency management and said the exercise is first‑responder centric.
County staff also said a free mass‑gathering training series quickly reached capacity (the instructor set a cap at 50 attendees with a minimum of 25) and that additional sessions are expected. The training was described as covering vulnerabilities similar to those seen at large public events elsewhere in the country.
Officials described new portable “rolling barricades” the Fargo Police Department has acquired for mass‑gathering security. The county emergency management official described them as heavy, wheeled units that can be rolled into place and locked so a vehicle cannot be driven through a crowd. He said some examples are filled with water but the county did not state how many units were purchased or the exact specifications; commissioners asked about weight and construction but were told those details were not available at the meeting.
A resolution dated April 1, 2026, appears on the commission consent agenda in connection with the mitigation plan and associated grant transfer; staff said the item is pending FEMA approval and is intended to expedite the administrative process once federal sign‑off is received.
No formal county vote on the mitigation plan or the equipment purchases was recorded during the department reports portion of the meeting; staff said they will proceed with interjurisdictional coordination and follow up once FEMA and other partners complete their reviews.
