Wenatchee signs on to Chelan County’s 2026 emergency management plan

WENATCHEE — The Wenatchee City Council voted to approve and implement the 2026 Chelan County Emergency Management Plan and authorized the mayor to sign the county-level document.

City staff said the plan is part of a five-year cycle and that Chelan County had completed its five-year audit with the Washington State Department of Emergency Management. "This is a periodic renewal in our agreement to participate in Chelan County's Emergency Management program. It is a county level program," staff said, and noted that the plan packet is lengthy ("728 pages or some very large number like that") with critical city-specific annexes at the end for the Wenatchee Police Department and Public Works.

Sergeant Jason Rheinfeld of the Chelan County Sheriff's Office and other emergency-management staff described the importance of interagency training and coordination for evacuations and wildfire response. "Interlocal agreements like this are the most important ones we have because all of the players can come together quickly," Rheinfeld said, praising the county team's social-media outreach during incidents.

Council moved, seconded and on voice vote approved implementation and authorized the mayor's signature.

The adoption affirms the city's participation in the county-managed emergency response framework and triggers continued training and coordination under the plan’s annexes for local first responders and public works.