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Marshall County EMA director reports tornado response, hazmat cleanup and new training plans
Summary
Marshall County EMA director Jack reviewed tornadoes that struck in March–April, an August hazmat release that required multi-day cleanup, and outlined grant, LEPC reorganization and training priorities that county officials will act on this year.
Marshall County’s emergency management director delivered an annual highlights report Thursday, recounting two tornado events this spring, a multi-day hazmat cleanup in August and plans to expand training and grant-readiness across the county.
"We had 2 different tornadoes that hit Marshall County," the director said, describing damage near Anselle and Donaldson on March 30 and a second event that crossed north of Argus through Bourbon, where it did the most damage. The county received federal funding to cover eligible expenses, the director said, and the town of Bourbon received separate reimbursements.
He told the council that the National Weather Service is now providing event support to local fair and festival organizers — briefings and advanced warnings that help event staff make safety calls earlier. He also reviewed an August hazardous-material release at Zentes that required mutual aid and a multi-day cleanup with no enduring public threat reported.
The director said the EMPG salary reimbursement grant continues and that a revised debris management plan will be returned to commissioners later this spring for approval. He said the county reconstituted its LEPC roster (29 rostered members; quorum requires 12) and plans a Feb. 11 kickoff meeting to increase grant eligibility, noting that Marshall County will not be eligible for certain hazmat grants this year because required meetings were not held last year but that eligibility should open in future cycles.
Training plans highlighted by the director include incident command system courses, a mass-fatalities planning class set for April 28 at Plymouth School Corporation and a disaster-recovery class in July. He said the county successfully passed the state county readiness assessment and that a new EMA website has been launched for faster public communications.
The council thanked the director and acknowledged that some of the planning changes and training offerings will take multiple years to implement.
