Otsego County Emergency Management- Homeland Security & 911

06/10/2026

05/22/2026

News Release Michigan State Police
________________________________________
Tornado Safe Room Rebate Program Now Available for Michigan Homeowners
Deadline to apply is June 15

For Immediate Release:
May 22, 2026

LANSING, MICH. The Michigan State Police Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division (MSP/EMHSD) is now accepting applications for the Michigan Safe Room Rebate Program designed to help eligible homeowners offset the cost of installing a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) compliant tornado safe room on their property.
“We’ve already faced the threat and destruction of tornadoes multiple times this year. In a single night, nine tornadoes touched down across Michigan, just weeks after three others tore through southwest Michigan, causing widespread damage and claiming four lives,” said Capt. Kevin Sweeney, deputy state director of Emergency Management and commander of the MSP/EMHSD. “A properly constructed tornado safe room can provide critical life-saving protection during severe weather events.”
Selected applicants who meet requirements may receive a rebate covering up to 75% of eligible costs associated with the installation and construction of a tornado safe room, with a maximum reimbursement of $7,131.75.
The proposed rebate program would be funded through the FEMA Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Grant Program. At this time, no funding has been awarded. The application process is being used to support Michigan’s application for the program.
Interested homeowners should complete an online application. Fifty applicants will be chosen through a random selection process, with an additional 100 applicants identified as alternates pending available funding.
Applicants must be residents of Michigan and own a permanent residence located in Michigan and will be grouped by FEMA risk categories to ensure geographic distribution across the state.
The rebate program is reimbursement-based, meaning homeowners must complete the installation and submit required documentation before receiving payment. Safe rooms installed prior to approval are not eligible for reimbursement.
Visit the Michigan Safe Room Rebate Program resource website to apply or learn more about program eligibility, requirements and rules.
For more information on how to prepare before, during and after an emergency or disaster, visit MIREADY and follow MSP/EMHSD on X and Facebook.
# # #
Media Contact:
Clayton Cummins
MSP/EMHSD Public Information Officer
[email protected]
517-730-8818

05/22/2026

High fire danger is expected across much of northern lower Michigan on Friday as dry vegetation and low relative humidity combine with strong east winds. Please check the Michigan DNR website for burn restrictions.

05/13/2026

THANK YOU OTSEGO COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT!!

05/13/2026

The Diverging Diamond Project on I75 and M32 is starting this year, and MDOT has provided some great tools to visualize what it will look like after completion. The image below is an overhead shot of the project, and the link attached is a press release that includes more information, as well as videos that show what some of the most common routes will look like after the project is complete. We will continue to post information as the work gets closer. The project webpage will be in the comments of this post so that you can stay up to date. You can even sign up to have updates sent right to your email!

https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/news-outreach/pressreleases/2026/05/11/mdot-updates-i-75-m-32-diverging-diamond-interchange-project-page-project-schedule?fbclid=IwY2xjawRwVwJleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFsVTgzbkEzRGZrQTB1enVmc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHiv76dJRGOZJHgweYaf34HbTEtD1Q5qo3PToQ4YsbOTj0cd_6UQk7DiccNoj_aem_8nc9gcCvAniiAjkDT8Zicg

05/11/2026

MDOT updates ***rd I-75/M-32 diverging diamond interchange project page, project schedule https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/news-outreach/pressreleases/2026/05/11/mdot-updates-i-75-m-32-diverging-diamond-interchange-project-page-project-schedule

05/08/2026

04/15/2026

Flying drones over the Cheboygan Lock and Dam Complex and surrounding work area is now prohibited. The restriction was implemented to prevent interference with crews working on the ground and large cranes being used to move equipment and supplies.

📰Find details in the latest Michigan Department of Natural Resources news release below.

Michigan State Police | City of Cheboygan | Cheboygan County | Cheboygan County Sheriff's Office | | | |