Answer: Minnesota cities have been dealing with a number of
rain-related headaches, including closed roads, evacuation of people, and
higher-than-ever water levels. On June 19, Governor Dayton even declared a State of Emergency in 35 counties.
The city’s designated emergency manager should contact
the county emergency management coordinator. If additional resources are
needed, the county coordinator will contact the Minnesota
Department of Public Safety, Homeland Security and Emergency Management
(HSEM) division, which will assign a person to coordinate the city’s needs and
available resources.
Assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) may also become available if requested by the governor and/or HSEM.
Lending a helping hand
Cities fortunate enough to not be directly affected by
flooding need to be careful about how they work with cities that are/have
experienced flooding. While it's very Minnesotan to lend a helping hand, cities should not self-deploy to other communities, but
should instead coordinate their efforts through their county Emergency Operations Center
or via a direct request from the State
Emergency Operations Center.
High water resources
The League has a number of resources related to floods and other emergencies on its website, including:
- Coverage for Flood Damage to City Buildings
- Guidelines for Wastewater Treatment Facilities during a Flood
- Providing Assistance in Emergencies: Coverage and Liability Issues
- Handbook for Minnesota Cities: Public Safety and Emergency Management
You can see a full list of documents dedicated to helping your city weather the storm on the Flooding Resources page.
Here to hoping for drier weather!
Here to hoping for drier weather!