Minnesota Firefighters and Fire Trucks Deploying to Oregon
Twenty-nine Minnesota firefighters will leave for Oregon on
September 15 bringing with them nine fire trucks to help protect structures
threatened by wildfires across the state.
Oregon officials requested 10 fire strike teams or task
forces from around the country to help with response efforts through the
Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC). Gov. Tim Walz approved the two-week mission for two Minnesota teams, which include firefighters and trucks from Brainerd, Fisher, Bemidji, Eden Prairie,
Motley, Cross Lake and Spring Lake Park/Blaine/Mounds View fire departments.
EMAC is a mutual aid agreement between all 50 states. A
requesting state asks for resources (people, equipment, etc.) based on their
needs. Agencies in other states with those resources are able to respond to
those requests. HSEM
coordinates the state’s EMAC requests.
Disasters Won’t Wait for COVID-19 to End. Make a Plan Today!
COVID-19 has likely made you think differently about a lot
of things. As our lives continue to be changed by this pandemic, there is no
better time to plan and be prepared for an emergency. National Preparedness
Month is recognized each September to promote family and community disaster
planning. This year’s theme is "Disasters Don't Wait. Make Your Plan
Today."
- Sept. 1-5: Make a Plan
- Sept. 6-12: Build a Kit
- Sept. 13-19: Prepare for Disasters
- Sept. 20-26: Teach Youth about Preparedness
Already have an emergency preparedness plan from previous
years? Think about how COVID-19 may impact that plan this year. A good question
to ask is: What will my loved ones and I need to do differently due to the
pandemic? Learn how to prepare by visiting our National
Preparedness Month page.
Keeping Students and Educators Safe in the COVID-19 Era
Back-to-school shopping lists now include masks and hand sanitizer with the usual backpacks, notebooks and pencils. This is definitely a back-to-school season like none we’ve ever seen before. Whether your student is going back virtually or in person, schools are working hard to prepare for the upcoming year. In additional to the usual safety considerations, schools must now take COVID-19 into account as well.
Find out how the Minnesota School Safety Center and the SFMD’s School Inspection Team partnered to help schools reopen as safely as possible.
SBA Disaster Declaration Granted for Civil Unrest
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) approved Gov. Walz’s request for a federal disaster declaration to help cities rebuild after the civil unrest following the death of George Floyd. The declaration covers Hennepin County and the surrounding counties of Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Ramsey, Scott, Sherburne and Wright.
This means the SBA will offer low-interest loans to help the more than 1,500 businesses recover from more than $50 million in estimated damages. Co-ops, home owners and non-profits may also be eligible.
The deadline to apply for loans covering physical damage is October 2. The deadline for economic injury loans is May 3, 2021. View the SBA disaster declaration fact sheet or call (800) 659-2955 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) denied Gov. Walz’s request for a major disaster declaration in July. The governor plans to appeal that decision.