Emergency Management

Mitigation is defined as, “The effort to reduce loss of life and property by lessening the impact of disasters.” In order for mitigation to be effective, we need to take action now, before the next disaster, to reduce human and financial consequences later (analyzing risk, reducing risk, and insuring against risk). Effective mitigation efforts can break the cycle of disaster damage, reconstruction, and repeated damage.

One of the goals of Renville County Emergency Management is to help communities build, sustain, and improve their capability to mitigate against, prepare for, respond to, and recover from threatened or actual natural, technological, or manmade disasters. We strive for safer, less vulnerable communities that have the capacity and knowledge to deal with all hazards or disasters.

Renville County’s current Hazard Mitigation Plan expires in May of 2027. When it comes to updating the plan, we will reach out to all of our partners for input. There are opportunities available for county, city, and township participation; contact your elected officials, local spokesperson(s), or administrators to make your comments known.

Renville County Emergency Management works with many agencies and departments within the County to plan and prepare for all types of hazards. Although it is impossible to assemble specific plans for every type of emergency, having a general plan in place is of utmost importance in keeping the residents of Renville County safe. Renville County Emergency Management has developed a comprehensive emergency plan for Renville County, which includes:

• Hazard Mitigation Phase: Efforts to eliminate or reduce the chance of occurrence or effects of a disaster.
• Preparedness Phase: Planning how we would respond to a disaster.
• Response Phase: The work to be done after an incident occurs where assistance is being provided.
• Recovery Phase: The efforts that begin after the response phase until activities are back to normal.

The plan is effective in managing weather-related emergencies such as severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, flooding, and blizzards. Other types of emergencies covered under the plan include events like terrorist, hazardous materials spills, and releases and contagious disease outbreaks.

In the event of a disaster or other large-scale emergency in the County, Renville County Emergency Management assists responding agencies with managing the incident and providing support and additional tools and resources as they become available.

Renville County Emergency Management plans, coordinates, and executes training exercises for all emergency services in Renville County. Those exercises are often large-scale events, which encompass various types of emergency services in a variety of scenarios.

Renville County’s Emergency Operations Plan is updated annually and reviewed at the local level. Every four (4) years this plan is reviewed by the MN Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. The plan provides a summary of our emergency management system. The plan identifies hazards, requirements and capabilities of our resources and provides a framework for coordinated response and recovery efforts. Although the Emergency Operations Plan is not a public document, questions about the plan can be directed to Mike Hennen, Renville County Emergency Management Director.

Each year, Renville County Emergency Management participates in Severe Weather Awareness Week in the spring and Winter Hazard Awareness Week in the fall.

Click the links below for detailed information about each day of Severe Weather Awareness Week 2024 (April 8-12):

• Monday: Alerts & Warnings
• Tuesday: Severe Weather, Lighting, & Hail
• Wednesday: Floods
• Thursday: Tornadoes
• At 1:45 p.m. & 6:45 p.m. on Thursday, April 11,2024, outdoor warning sirens and the CodeRED system will be tested throughout Renville County.
• Friday: Extreme Heat

Renville County Emergency Management became a Weather Ready Nation Ambassador. “This initiative is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) effort to formally recognize NOAA partners who are improving the nation’s readiness, responsiveness, and overall resilience against extreme weather, water, and climate events… Weather Ready Nation is a strategic outcome where society’s response should be equal to the risk from all extreme weather, water, and climate hazards.” -NWS

In 2019 Renville County officially became a Storm Ready County. “Storm Ready is a National Weather Service program that recognizes communities that have reached a high level of severe weather preparedness. To be recognized as Storm Ready, a community must meet criteria established jointly between the NWS and state/local emergency management officials… The program ensures the entire warning system performs as it should when severe weather strikes… The system is made up of the NWS, local emergency management, and you [who respond properly to the warnings]. No community is storm proof, but Storm Ready can help communities save lives.” -NWS