Research Q of the Week: Resources for a Rainy Day (6/24)

Question: Rain, rain go away, come again another day. What kind of resources does the League have to help us deal with the aftermath of all this rain? 

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. 

A city government can also declare a local emergency when it's time to take flood response to the next level. To do so, the mayor needs to issue a proclamation declaring an emergency. The emergency declaration cannot last longer than three days, unless continued by the city council. The declaration of an emergency will set in motion the city’s disaster plan.

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!

This blog post conveys general information. It’s not legal advice. Please check with your city attorney before acting on this information.