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Dickinson County emergency management director reviews equipment‑focused budget, training and storm response
Summary
Emergency Management Director Chase Smith presented his department’s budget and recent activities, including advanced weather spotter training, courthouse active‑shooter preparedness, interagency exercises and consolidation of equipment maintenance costs; commissioners asked clarifying questions about funding lines.
Chase Smith, Dickinson County’s emergency management director, briefed the commission on recent training activities, interagency coordination and the department’s proposed budget adjustments.
Smith said he recently presented at an appraisers’ conference on courthouse security and “active shooter” response and emphasized the department’s focus on the initial minutes before law‑enforcement arrival. He described a regional advanced weather spotter class taught by Nemaha County’s emergency manager that included radar reading and operational features to help deputies avoid storm cores and reduce liability.
Smith also reviewed line‑item changes in the emergency management budget. He said the department will consolidate multiple maintenance lines (vehicle, equipment, light towers, message boards and generators) into a single maintenance account to make spending clearer. He noted that a fire‑safety training line previously budgeted at $3,000 (2025) and $2,000 (2026) will be handled locally by Harrington Rescue and Abilene Rescue squads, and the county can reduce outside contracted training costs.
Smith described operational accounting details including fuel reporting and past practice of listing some emergency‑management fuel on general administration; he said a reclassification will move certain charges into emergency management, which on paper increases that department’s operational budget by about $1,200 (approximately 10% relative to the department’s baseline) but reflects a transfer of previously administrative expenses rather than new spending.
Smith also discussed intergovernmental assistance: he said Dickinson County assisted Selene County with a large log‑jam removal effort and has fielded requests for funding sources; he referenced prior disaster cleanups and interaction with NRCS after the 2016 tornado.
On fair and event safety, Smith said the county plans to finalize an emergency‑operations plan for the fair after a prior evacuation of grandstands; he argued for a single on‑scene decision maker during high‑risk weather to avoid sending first responders into unsafe conditions. “We need 1 person that can say, it’s done. We're going home,” Smith said, explaining why unified command and clear authority matters for public safety.
Commissioners asked questions about specific line items (training, special supplies) and Smith said staff will adjust budget lines and can return with updated figures. He said he expects to be reimbursed by the state association for some travel related to his role as association president and that the department will continue local training collaborations with area rescue squads.
