HOME Court House Justice Center West Wing Blog Seward County Emergency Management Official: Gary Petersen Phone: (402)643-4722 Email: gpetersen@co.seward.ne.us Location: West Wing Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Emergency Alerts There have been ongoing updates to Grants Portal- and as of this weekend, applicants can go directly to grantee.fema.gov to register their own organization and submit a Request for Public Assistance (RPA). This is the most important first step toward applicants applying for assistance through the FEMA Public Assistance Program. Attached you will find the Applicant Quick Guide: Grants Portal Account and Request for Public Assistance: A step-by-step guide for potential Applicants on how to create an account and submit an RPA. As we previously discussed- each individual entity must submit their own RPA. This includes state agencies, universities, state colleges, counties, cities, ESUs, school districts, public power districts, PNPs (hospitals, assisted nursing facilities, etc). Refer the Applicant Eligibility guidance, which notates who is eligible. We realize there are instances in which an entity may not have incurred costs yet, but anticipates incurring Category B (Emergency Protective Measure) expenses- and in this case, we would still encourage RPA submittal at this point. The Public Assistance team is standing by to assist with this process, please utilize the nema.publicassistance@nebraska.gov email at any time. We would encourage entities to get RPAs submitted sooner than later. Once again- paper RPAs are no longer accepted- they must be submitted through the portal. Please feel free to forward this email to any potential applicants. Applicant Quick Guide Grants Portal Account PAAPG- Applicant Eligibility Mission Statement The mission of the Seward County Emergency Management is to provide a comprehensive and integrated emergency management system that coordinates community resources to protect lives, property and the environment through mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery from all natural and man-made hazards that my impact our county. Coordinate Emergency Management Activities for Seward County. Maintain and update the county’s Local Emergency Operations Plan (LEOP), Hazards, Vulnerability Analysis and Hazard Mitigation Plan. Activate and staff the county Emergency Operations Center. Work with other county, city, town, departments, agencies and response agencies to develop a variety of related emergency plans, procedures and guidelines. Serve as the focal point for coordination and liaison of activities between local, state and federal government in the response to and recovery from major emergencies/disasters. Maintain and operate the county’s Emergency Operations Center. Monitor severe weather watches, warnings and special statements issued by the National Weather Service. Serve as Director of Information for the Seward/York County Local Emergency Planning Committee. Provide assistance and support to all public safety agencies, government entities and private sector partners through planning, training and exercising. Provide Continuity of Operations Planning information and guidance. Gather and disseminate information to the public, media and local government agencies to assist in preparation, response, recovery and mitigation for major emergencies and disasters. Comply with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Nebraska Emergency management Agency (NEMA) requirements for receipt and management of grant funding. When severe weather strikes, tune into KTMX FM 104.9 for weather updates. Siren Notifications: Tornado: Long steady siren in one tone for three minutes. There is never an all clear signal. If sirens sound again there is another warning. Fire: Alternating high/low tone for approximately three minutes. Mitigation: There are no designated tornado shelters in Seward County. It is the responsibility of residents to have a plan for severe weather. Installing a safe room* is one way to be protected from a tornado or high winds. A safe room is a hardened structure specifically designed to meet the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) criteria and provide “near-absolute protection” in extreme weather events, including tornadoes. Near-absolute protection means that, based on our current knowledge of tornadoes, the occupants of a safe room built in accordance with FEMA guidance will have a very high probability of being protected from injury or death. For more information, contact Gary Petersen. Links: Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) – Great source for training programs and state emergency news. Nebraska Emergency Management-reporting hotline 877-297-2368 National Weather Service Omaha/Valley: https://www.weather.gov/oax/ Centers for Disease Control, Bio-terrorism facts and advisories Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Emergency Response Guide Radiological Issues (REPP) American Red Cross Severe Weather Terminology For more information, contact: Gary Petersen Seward/York County Emergency Management Director Seward York 402-643-4722 402-362-7744 322 South 14th St. Suite 1 510 Lincoln Ave. Seward, NE 68434 York, NE 68467 Court House 529 Seward St Seward, NE 68434 Justice Center 261 S 8th Street Seward, NE 68434 West Wing 322 S 14th Seward, NE 68434 © 2021 by Seward County, Nebraska