Oscoda County declares state of emergency after regional flooding

Charles E. Varner Jr., Oscoda County Board of Commissioners chairman, said the county formally declared a State of Emergency on April 13, 2026, after regional flooding caused significant property damage. The declaration was submitted to the Michigan State Police and the governor’s office to request state resources and support.

Varner said the county established an Emergency Operations Center at the Sheriff’s Department to centralize response efforts, with the Sheriff’s Department providing the facility as the primary command site. ‘‘An Emergency Operations Center has been activated to coordinate field response and resource allocation,’’ Varner stated during the meeting summary. County Administrator Michelle Knepp coordinated operational efforts alongside the West Branch Emergency Manager and local responders.

Emergency personnel began ‘‘boots on the ground’’ assessments on April 10, targeting the AuSable River, McKinley and Comins Flats areas, conducting door-to-door welfare checks and evacuations in high-risk zones. Officials used social media, cellular emergency alerts and direct contact for notifications, and Tri-Point Church was designated and activated as the official emergency shelter.

Knepp reported that multiple departments, including Tri-Town Fire and other emergency-management partners, took part in early response activity; she noted there were instances of duplicated efforts and recommended the Sheriff’s Department maintain lead coordination through Dispatch for future incidents to streamline communications.

The board did not take a separate formal vote in open session to amend policy; the declaration and activation of incident management functions were described as part of the county’s emergency response actions. The county indicated it will monitor rising water levels and manage resource allocation under a single operational plan.