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County emergency manager outlines exercises, FEMA‑approved mitigation plan and grant requests
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Summary
James, the county emergency manager, reviewed 2025 exercises, FEMA approval of the valley's multi‑hazard mitigation plan through 2030, and ongoing grant requests and reimbursement pursuits tied to recent storms, floods and drought declarations.
James, who identified himself as the county emergency manager, told the Lewiston City Council the county carried out multiple exercises in 2025 and early 2026, including a cybersecurity tabletop with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and local health systems, functional exercises with the Bureau of Reclamation on Snake River operations and a full‑scale aircraft response exercise with Lewiston Airport.
He said the county updated several key plans this year: an emergency operations plan, a continuity of operations plan and a multi‑hazard mitigation plan that FEMA approved in 2025 and that will remain in effect through 2030. "That plan in itself provides the valley with the means to apply for grants at a federal level," James said.
James described recent declarations and grant activity: a Dec. 17, 2025 wind event that led to state and federal declarations (the federal declaration was issued April 10), a January rainfall local declaration with an associated state declaration and pursuit of a federal declaration, and a state drought declaration that, he said, primarily opens the door to potential changes in water rights rather than automatic funding.
On funding and reimbursements, James listed requests the county has submitted, including a $100,000 LTAT request and a $50,000 reimbursement request submitted at 50% cost‑share for a March flooding event. He said some 2025 federal grants remain pending because federal agencies (FEMA and DHS) were not fully staffed at the time of initial award decisions.
Councilors pressed for details about drills, partnerships and training. James confirmed many FEMA training courses are available as independent online study and said he completed more than 40 FEMA classes in preparation for his role. He offered to research whether drought declarations could unlock direct funding or other specific aid for local water‑system improvements.
Next steps: James offered to provide the council with follow‑up research on funding opportunities tied to the drought declaration and to continue coordinating county and city emergency planning and exercises.
