Annapolis emergency managers describe winter‑storm response, budget strains and warming‑center use
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Summary
City emergency management officials told the Public Safety Committee they activated the EOC for a severe winter storm, coordinated with the National Guard and mutual‑aid partners, and ran warming centers that logged 464 visits; staff said grant funding helps the office but some FY‑25 grants were delayed and a supplemental budget request is expected.
Kevin Simmons, director of the City of Annapolis Office of Emergency Management, briefed the Public Safety Committee in February 2026 on the city’s winter‑storm response, describing EOC activations, mutual aid and costs tied to temporary sheltering and hoteling for essential staff.
“From 2010 to, 2024, OEM has brought in $23,000,000 in grant funding,” Simmons told the committee, noting the office’s work supports many city departments and that the department operates on a relatively small base budget. He said some FY‑25 grant funding has been delayed, and OEM will present a supplemental budget request to help cover increased operating costs from this winter’s response.
Mary Kate Sabarowski, senior emergency management planner, described how the EOC moved from an enhanced monitoring posture to a partial activation and ran 11 operational periods using a red/blue shift model to preserve staff endurance. The EOC’s priorities, she said, were to protect life, maintain essential city services and provide timely support to external partners.
“Every operational period had incident objectives,” Sabarowski said, adding the city conducted frequent coordination calls and prepared incident action plans for sustained operations.
Kyle Lepkowski, who outlined the winter‑relief program, summarized its mission plainly: “Nobody dies from exposure on the streets of Annapolis.” Lepkowski said Blessin Tech Ministries staffs the warming centers under OEM oversight. During the multi‑day event the warming center was open for 204 continuous hours and recorded 464 patron visits; staffing costs for the eight‑day period were reported at $8,740.
Deputy Director Dave Mandel described requests for mutual aid: the state highway administration provided heavy equipment for several days, and the mayor requested Maryland National Guard assistance for high‑clearance vehicle transport and EOC support. Mandel said the Guard’s primary role during the response was transportation for staff rotations and logistical support.
Andrew Whitikind, an emergency management planner who oversees the city call center, told the committee the Annapolis Call Center logged 745 calls over the course of the event, with many inquiries about plowing, sidewalks, parking and garage access. OEM said calls were entered into a tracker for public works follow‑up.
Staff discussed temporary lodging for essential employees: OEM used agreements with Fairfield Inn and Hilton Garden Inn and made roughly 50 room bookings; the city’s reported hotel cost for rooms was $12,010.68 (hotel charges only). Officials also described donated food from local restaurants that aided EOC operations.
The committee pressed staff on funding and future planning. Simmons and Lepkowski said they had not yet requested a permanent budget increase but were preparing a supplemental request to cover this season’s higher costs and would evaluate whether to seek an increase for next fiscal year.
The committee asked OEM to share the presentation slides and operational data with council members; staff also provided a public contact for special assistance registration and donations — OEM’s main line at (410) 216‑9167 and oem@annapolis.gov.
The committee did not take formal action on funding during the meeting; staff said follow‑up budget items will come through the usual appropriation and council channels.
