An emergency plan is always a good thing to have in place, especially if you’re a governmental organization like Dexter Township.
At their Aug. 20 meeting, the Dexter Township Board of Trustees approved a plan called the Dexter Township Support Emergency Operations Plan. The Purpose section of the plan states:
“Dexter Township has elected to be incorporated into the Washtenaw County Emergency Management program. By becoming part of the county emergency management program, Dexter Township and Washtenaw County have certain responsibilities to each other. This Support Emergency Operations Plan has been developed to identify the responsibilities between Dexter Township and Washtenaw County in regard to pre-disaster emergency management activities. It also provides for Dexter Township government agencies to respond to various types of emergencies or disasters that affect the community. This support plan is to be used in conjunction with the Washtenaw County Emergency Action Guidelines. The support plan will be maintained in accordance with standards of currentness of the Washtenaw County Emergency Action Guidelines. Review of this support plan shall be accomplished concurrently with the county plan.”
The Sun Times News followed up with Township Supervisor Karen Sikkenga to ask about the plan.
Sikkenga said the plan specifies the Township’s primary point of contact in the event of an emergency, and lays out the roles for the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office and the Dexter Area Fire Department (including emergency medical response).
She said the template for the plan is a resource made available to the township because of its collaboration with the County Sheriff on the warning sirens. A plan such as this is required for townships with populations that exceed 10,000. Dexter Township has a population of 6,500, so the plan is recommended, but not required.
Recent emergencies the township has dealt with included COVID and the tornado in 2012.
Sikkenga said “Although we have been lucky in the past, with the increasing number of ‘100 year rains’ and extended high heat, the Board of Trustees felt that an emergency preparedness plan is prudent to ensure the well-being and safety of our residents.”
