The county's Emergency Management office briefed commissioners on third-quarter activity, including multi-agency exercises, volunteer training and grant efforts.

EMA reported two exercises conducted during Q3: a train-derailment hazmat exercise run with the local LEPC and City of Billings with about 40 participants, and a search-and-rescue training that added roughly 8–10 volunteers to field operations. EMA said it has been planning Operation Polar Bear (an ice-storm communications exercise) and participated in the regional SMESO tabletop exercise.

The disaster animal response team held a community microchipping event and raised about $2,500, and volunteers assisted with radio testing for county dispatch and a sinkhole response with the City of Nixa. EMA said it has trained roughly 1,336 people in CERT over the past 15 years and has around 100 active volunteers now; volunteer hours this year were reported at about 2,000.

Commissioners thanked EMA staff for their work and emphasized preparedness given the county's small EMA team.