You might know that Calhoun County, Michigan, or more specifically, the City of Battle Creek, is the home of Kellogg’s® (manufacturer of Frosted Flakes®, Eggo® and Pop Tarts®). But, did you know the County is also the location of the largest ecological disaster—an inland oil spill—in the history of the Midwest? Local residents and the Calhoun County Office of Emergency Management & Homeland Security, a division of the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, sure do.
Many remember the July 2010 oil leak like it was yesterday. And they most likely won’t forget it anytime soon. The Enridge Oil Spill continues to cause concern regarding groundwater, surface water, air quality, soils and sediments, and direct contact even now, almost nine years later.
Having experienced such a massive ecological (and life-changing) disaster, it’s no wonder the Calhoun County Office of Emergency Management, a division of the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, places such an emphasis on emergency preparedness. This is especially true of hazard mitigation planning (HMP). In fact, the Office’s Director, Durk Dunham, believes the County’s HMP is its single most important plan.
“Without one (a hazard mitigation plan), you may find yourself ‘shooting from the hip’ in a real-life event, and that’s no place anyone in emergency management wants or needs to be,” said Dunham.
Want to learn more about Calhoun County, Michigan, and its mitigation planning efforts? Download BOLDplanning’s latest case study showcasing this long-time client now. It’s a quick read and it may just motivate you to write or review your county, city or tribe’s HMP.
