The Adair and Guthrie County Emergency Management Department has been operating as a dual agency for a number of years, which has also brought cost savings for both counties. 

According to Coordinator Bob Kempf, the return on investment for both counties has been $6 since 2012.

Kempf explained why the counties consolidated into one agency.

“Years ago and for several years, each county had their own [agency], and it was handled as a part-time position in both counties. It became advantageous for us to combine the two part-time positions into a full-time position. The job has magnified in the amount of paperwork, computerwork, planning, grants that are available. Each county would get by with a little less expense compared to doing it on their own.”

Kempf notes the other advantages of the combined agency includes securing hazard mitigation grants for things like the safe rooms at West Central Valley Schools, the Lake Orient shelter house, repairs to infrastructure and culverts and water flow patterns. Kempf says the multi-jurisdictional hazard mitigation plan costs the commission $40,000 over a five-year period to stay up-to-date, but the plan is extra evidence available for grant applications for the programs in the plan.