Buchanan County Emergency Management

06/07/2026

Buchanan County Alert:

FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH MONDAY EVENING
* WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible.

* WHERE...Portions of Illinois, including the following areas,
Bureau, Carroll, Henry IL, Jo Daviess, Mercer, Putnam, Rock Island
and Whiteside and Iowa, including the following areas, Benton,
Buchanan, Cedar, Clinton, Delaware, Dubuque, Jackson, Johnson,
Jones, Linn, Muscatine and Scott.

* WHEN...Through Monday evening.

* IMPACTS...Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers,
creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
- Exceptionally high amounts of moisture will combine with
persistent lift from an area of low pressure aloft to bring
repeated heavy rain from thunderstorms.

06/04/2026

A great depiction of emergency management from our friends down in Wapello county!

9 things Emergency Managers do that look like overkill—until they save your community

1. Build relationships before they're needed

They know the public works director before the flood. They run the meetings nobody cares about—until everyone does. They invest in trust before there’s anything to ask for.

2. Write plans nobody reads—until the sirens go off

They document who does what, when, and why. They update the plan when nothing is broken. Because when pressure hits, clarity matters.

3. Manage grants that fund the next disaster response

They track deadlines nobody else is watching. They justify every dollar before it’s spent. They secure equipment and training long before the need is obvious.

4. Run exercises against scenarios that haven't happened yet

They stress-test the plan while there’s still time to fix it. They find the gaps before the disaster does. They capture the lesson so the mistake doesn’t happen twice.

5. Monitor threats around the clock—quietly

They’re watching the weather at 2 AM. They’re tracking hazmat routes, infrastructure risks, and public health trends. And they make the call early enough to matter.

6. Coordinate across agencies that don't naturally talk to each other

They get the right people in the room before anyone asks them to. They get agreements signed before anyone needs a favor. They keep the whole system moving in one direction.

7. Absorb the uncertainty so the community doesn't have to

They make tough calls before the full picture is clear. They carry the weight of what could happen, owning the outcome either way. They stand between the chaos above and the community below—so residents never have to feel it.

8. Constantly ask "what if" when everyone else assumes it'll be fine

They ask “what if” when everyone else assumes everything will be fine. They look for the second failure before the first one happens. That mindset is what keeps small problems from becoming headlines.

9. Build backups to the backups

They build redundancy into communications, power, staffing, and operations. They plan for the backup—and then the backup to the backup. Because “probably fine” is never the standard.

BONUS: 10. Fight for a budget when times are good

They pitch for resources, technology, and staff when there isn't a cloud in the sky. They defend the cost of readiness to stakeholders who only look at today's bottom line—because they know the real cost of being caught empty-handed.

The best emergency management work is invisible—right up until it isn’t.
If you’ve ever worked with a great Emergency Manager, you know: what looks like overthinking is usually preparedness.

05/27/2026

Thank you Walmart Independence - Enterprise Drive for the donation of water to Buchanan County Emergency Management and to Andrew for your assistance! It is greatly appreciated!

05/22/2026

The Offices of Buchanan County Emergency Management and Buchanan County Public Health Department will be closed in observance of the Memmorial Day Holiday on Monday, May 25th, 2026.

We will resume normal hours of operation on Tuesday, May 26th, 2026.

Have a Safe and Healthy Weekend.

05/19/2026

Buchanan County Alert:

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
228 IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM CDT TUESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS

IN IOWA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 12 COUNTIES

IN EAST CENTRAL IOWA

BENTON IOWA JOHNSON
LINN

IN NORTHEAST IOWA

BUCHANAN DELAWARE

IN SOUTHEAST IOWA

HENRY IA JEFFERSON KEOKUK
LEE VAN BUREN WASHINGTON

IN MISSOURI THIS WATCH INCLUDES 2 COUNTIES

IN NORTHEAST MISSOURI

CLARK SCOTLAND

THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF CEDAR RAPIDS, FAIRFIELD,
INDEPENDENCE, IOWA CITY, KAHOKA, KEOKUK, KEOSAUQUA, MANCHESTER,
MARENGO, MEMPHIS, MOUNT PLEASANT, SIGOURNEY, VINTON,
AND WASHINGTON.

05/18/2026

Buchanan County Alert:

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
219 IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM CDT MONDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS

IN IOWA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 14 COUNTIES

IN EAST CENTRAL IOWA

BENTON CEDAR IOWA
JOHNSON JONES LINN

IN NORTHEAST IOWA

BUCHANAN DELAWARE DUBUQUE

IN SOUTHEAST IOWA

HENRY IA JEFFERSON KEOKUK
VAN BUREN WASHINGTON

THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF ANAMOSA, CEDAR RAPIDS, DUBUQUE,
FAIRFIELD, INDEPENDENCE, IOWA CITY, KEOSAUQUA, MANCHESTER,
MARENGO, MOUNT PLEASANT, SIGOURNEY, TIPTON, VINTON,
AND WASHINGTON.

05/16/2026

Buchanan County Alert:

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
207 IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM CDT SATURDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS

IN ILLINOIS THIS WATCH INCLUDES 3 COUNTIES

IN NORTHWEST ILLINOIS

CARROLL JO DAVIESS STEPHENSON

IN IOWA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 11 COUNTIES

IN EAST CENTRAL IOWA

BENTON CEDAR CLINTON
IOWA JACKSON JOHNSON
JONES LINN

IN NORTHEAST IOWA

BUCHANAN DELAWARE DUBUQUE

THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF ANAMOSA, CEDAR RAPIDS, CLINTON,
DUBUQUE, FREEPORT, GALENA, INDEPENDENCE, IOWA CITY, MANCHESTER,
MAQUOKETA, MARENGO, MOUNT CARROLL, TIPTON, AND VINTON.

05/16/2026

Buchanan County Alert:

SVRDVN

The National Weather Service in the Quad Cities has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
Northern Buchanan County in northeastern Iowa...

* Until 1115 PM CDT.

* At 1027 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Fairbank, or
11 miles west of Oelwein, moving east at 55 mph.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and penny size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees.

* Locations impacted include...
Fairbank, Hazleton, Lamont, Aurora, Stanley, Winthrop Golf Course,
Otterville, Jakway Park, Fontana County Park, Fontana Park, and
Littleton.

05/12/2026

Sign up to receive Emergency Notifications for Buchanan County.

Residents can sign up using three different processes.

Option 1: Create a profile through your county’s website opt-in page. Sign up for the alerts you want to receive through your county’s web page. https://www.buchanancounty.iowa.gov/services/emergency_management/alert_iowa.php

Option 2: Download the Smart911 app and create a customized profile. Receive targeted community and weather alerts. Download the Smart911 app
for free and opt-in to plan ahead for emergencies. (https://www.smart911.com/)

Option 3: Send a text message to opt-in. This is the quickest way to sign up. Send a text message to 672-83 with your County Name followed by IA. Example:BuchananIA

05/11/2026

At the Annual Iowa Emergency Management Association Conference, Former Buchanan County Emergency Management Coordinator Rick Wulfekuhle was presented with the Lifetime Member Award.

Congratulations Rick! We appreciate the years of service and sacrifice you have given the residents of Buchanan County.

The certificate reads as follows:

"For 25 years of outstanding and dedicated service as Coordinator of the Buchanan County Emergency Management Agency and Member of the Iowa Emergency Management Association.

Rick, in honor of your outstanding knowledge in emergency planning and your exemplary leadership, collaboration, and commitment to teamwork. Your efforts have set a standard of excellence. With sincere appreciation for your lifetime of service and your lasting impact on Emergency Management in Iowa by working on IEMA Committees, serving as Association President, and most importantly, being our friend. Presented by: Iowa Emergency Management Association, May 2026, Sean Snyder, IEMA President. "