KDEM News

At 11:05 a.m. today, Gov. Laura Kelly issued a State of Disaster Emergency due to a high risk of wildland fires in several Kansas counties. Northwest winds of 35 to 45 mph with gusts up to 60 mph may be expected with relative humidity as low as 18 percent. The declaration authorizes the use of state resources and personnel to …

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The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for much of Kansas, beginning Monday in the northwestern portion of the state and moving eastward throughout the day. Snow should reach east central, north central and northeast Kansas by Tuesday morning, transitioning to freezing rain, then rain. Storms are expected to gradually move out of the state Tuesday evening. …

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By Staff Sgt. Dakota HelvieKansas Army National Guard Public Affairs Severe storms. Tornadoes. Floods. Blizzards. Wildfires. Kansas has faced its share of these over the years.  By working through these disasters, state agencies have forged and refined the partnerships that have allowed them to face a situation affecting not just a city or a county, but the entire state, the …

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Championship basketball coach Bobby Knight once said “I don’t believe in luck, I believe in preparation.” Sound advice for anyone – and everyone when it comes to being prepared for tornadoes, floods, wildland fires, blizzards or any of the other natural or man-made disasters Kansans face each year. To remind Kansans to be prepared, Gov. Laura Kelly has signed a …

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The Kansas Division of Emergency Management has reached an agreement with Atchison Hospital and Clinics in Atchison, Kansas, for the temporary use of hospital equipment without cost that may be distributed to other medical facilities in need during the COVID-19 emergency. The equipment comes from the former Horton Community Hospital and includes hospital beds, IV pump, defibrillators, stretchers, a blood …

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When a disaster or emergency strikes, members of the Kansas National Guard stand ready to help when and where they’re needed. “As Guardsmen, we live and work in our communities in both our civilian and military jobs,” Maj. Gen. David Weishaar, the adjutant general of Kansas and director of the Kansas Division of Emergency Management said. “If you see uniformed …

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As we head into the spring months, the risk of severe thunderstorms increases across Kansas, including the risk for tornadoes. Unfortunately, with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, people who rely on public sheltering from tornadoes could be faced with the difficult choice of sheltering from the tornado in a community shelter or refraining from going to the shelter in order to …

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President Donald Trump has signed a federal disaster declaration for the state of Kansas to support emergency measures within the state related to the COVID-19 virus. The declaration authorizes federal funds for emergency protective measures not authorized under other federal statutes, including direct federal assistance, under the Public Assistance program for local, state, and Indian tribal governments, and certain private …

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Governor Laura Kelly has issued a disaster declaration for wildland fires burning approximately 20-25 miles southwest of Medicine Lodge in Barber County. The declaration authorizes the use of state resources and personnel to assist with response and recovery operations in affected counties that meet certain criteria. The Kansas Division of Emergency Management activated the State Emergency Operations Center in Topeka …

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Even though the COVID-19 virus dominates the news, Kansans are reminded there are other dangers currently facing the state, particularly the risk of wildland fires. “I know the coronavirus is on everyone’s mind right now, but we still must remain vigilant to other hazards, such as wildfires,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “Our emergency responders have so much to deal with …

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