Saline County Officials Explain Disaster Declaration Process After June 8 Storm

Saline County officials have outlined the disaster declaration process following the June 8 windstorm that prompted emergency action. A verbal disaster declaration was issued at 9:48 p.m. on June 8 by the County Commission Chair, allowing for immediate coordination with the Kansas Division of Emergency Management. County officials said they were in constant contact with the state throughout the night and the rest of the week.

The Saline County Commission formally adopted a written disaster declaration on June 16 during its next regular board meeting. Under county procedure, a verbal declaration may be issued when immediate action is needed, but a formal written declaration must be signed and adopted at a subsequent commission meeting.

County officials noted that disaster declarations do not provide direct funding to the county or residents. Instead, the declarations serve as a formal mechanism for Saline County to request additional resources — including state support, volunteer organizations, equipment, personnel, and coordination assistance — when local resources are insufficient to meet the demands of an incident.

The explanation came in response to online discussion among residents about the declaration process. Disaster declarations in Kansas follow four levels: local verbal declarations, formal local declarations, state declarations issued by the governor, and federal declarations issued by the president.