Stanley County Emergency Management

08/19/2026

🚑 COMMUNITY EDUCATION – PREPAREDNESS STARTS WITH KNOWLEDGE 🩸🧯

Local emergency services along with Stanley County Emergency Management recently provided emergency preparedness training to teachers and staff during the Stanley County Schools Teacher In-Service.

Our goal is simple: give educators the skills and confidence to respond during emergencies and help keep our schools and community safe.

We covered:
❤️ CPR & AED use
🩸 Stop the Bleed
🧯 Fire Extinguisher Safety
💊 Narcan & EpiPen awareness
🚒 Real-world insight from a first responder (Joe Meligan)

A big thank you to Stanley County Schools and staff for prioritizing safety and preparedness.

📢 More community training opportunities are coming soon! Follow the Stanley County Emergency Management page and website for updates.

Know what to do. Be ready to help.

08/17/2026

🟢 UPDATE: THIS ALERT HAS EXPIRED

⚠️ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING — CENTRAL STANLEY COUNTY INCLUDING FORT PIERRE

The National Weather Service in Aberdeen has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Central Stanley County, including the City of Fort Pierre, along with portions of Hughes, Lyman, and Sully Counties.

🕔 WARNING UNTIL 6:45 PM CDT

At 5:39 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located approximately 22 miles northwest of Fort Pierre, moving southeast at 40 MPH.

🌩️ HAZARDS

💨 60 MPH wind gusts
🧊 Small hail
🌳 Potential for damage to trees, roofs, and siding

📍 STORM TIMING

The storm is expected to move through portions of the Lake Oahe area this evening, including:

• Chantier Creek & Okobojo Point — around 5:50 PM
• Oahe Mission, Spring Creek & Cow Creek — around 5:55 PM
• West Shore — around 6:00 PM
• Overlook & Grey Goose — around 6:05 PM

🚨 TAKE ACTION NOW

If you are in Fort Pierre, central Stanley County, or along Lake Oahe, be prepared for rapidly changing conditions and damaging winds.

➡️ Seek shelter inside a well-built structure.
➡️ Stay away from windows.
➡️ Do not shelter under trees, picnic shelters, or other exposed structures.
➡️ Secure loose outdoor items if it is safe to do so.
➡️ If you’re on or near the water, move to a safe structure immediately.

This warning is radar-indicated.

Stay weather aware and continue monitoring official alerts from the National Weather Service and Stanley County Emergency Management.

Stanley County Emergency Management
Ready • Set • Go

08/17/2026

🟢 UPDATE: THIS ALERT HAS EXPIRED

⚠️ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING — NORTHWESTERN STANLEY COUNTY

The National Weather Service in Aberdeen has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for northwestern Stanley County, along with western Sully County and southeastern Dewey County.

🕔 Warning valid until 5:45 PM CDT

🌩️ Main Threats

* 70 MPH wind gusts
* Quarter-size hail (1 inch)
* Considerable tree damage
* Damage possible to mobile homes, roofs and outbuildings
* Hail damage to vehicles is expected

The storms are moving east at approximately 35 MPH.

📍 Areas of Stanley County to watch

The storm is expected to be near:

* Mission Ridge — around 5:30 PM
* Little Bend Recreation Area — around 5:30 PM
* Sansarc — around 5:30 PM
* Bush’s Landing — around 5:40 PM

If you are in or near the warned area, get inside a well-built structure now and stay away from windows. These storms are capable of producing widespread damaging winds and large hail.

This is a RADAR-INDICATED warning.

08/17/2026

🟢 UPDATE: THIS ALERT HAS EXPIRED

🚨 SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT 🚨

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect until 11:00 PM CDT (10:00 PM MDT) for a large portion of South Dakota, including Stanley County.

⛈️ What this means:
Conditions are favorable for severe thunderstorms to develop. Storms could produce damaging winds, large hail, frequent lightning, and heavy rainfall.

📍 Stanley County is included in the watch.

Residents should:

* 🌩️ Stay weather aware throughout the evening.
* 📱 Keep your phone nearby and ensure emergency alerts are enabled.
* 🏠 Be prepared to move indoors quickly if a warning is issued.
* 🚗 Avoid unnecessary travel if severe storms develop.
* ⚡ Remember: A WATCH means conditions are favorable; a WARNING means severe weather is occurring or imminent.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is NOT a warning. Continue monitoring conditions and be prepared to take action if a warning is issued.

08/14/2026

🚑 STOP THE BLEED TRAINING – COMMUNITY EDUCATION 🩸

Stanley County Emergency Management recently provided training to Driver’s Education students at the College Center in Pierre.

👥 21 students from Pierre and Fort Pierre participated

This program was sponsored by South Dakota EMS for Children and co-taught with Avera Hospital and the South Dakota Highway Patrol.

Our focus was Stop the Bleed—teaching students how to recognize severe bleeding and take immediate action that can save a life. But the overall program covered several other topics related to safety and driving.

🩸 Every student received a free Stop the Bleed kit to help them be prepared in an emergency.

Building preparedness starts with education. We’re proud to help equip our young drivers with skills that matter when seconds count.

Know what to do. Have the supplies. Be ready to help.

Would you like to see more public education classes like this offered in Stanley County?

08/12/2026

Stanley County Emergency Management is proud to share this important reminder from the Stanley County Sheriff’s Office as we head into the Labor Day weekend.

Please drive safe and sober. You owe it to yourself, your family, and your community to make it home safely.

Have a great Labor Day weekend, and most importantly — get home safe! 🇺🇸

🚨 DRIVE SOBER OR GET PULLED OVER 🚨

The Stanley County Sheriff’s Office is joining law enforcement agencies across South Dakota and the nation for the 2026 “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” enforcement campaign.

📅 August 19 – September 7, 2026

As we approach Labor Day weekend, we’re reminding everyone that impaired driving is preventable — and the consequences can be deadly.

During this nationwide enforcement period, the Stanley County Sheriff’s Office will be increasing our focus on impaired driving through high-visibility patrols, enforcement, and public awareness efforts.

🍺 If you’ve been drinking, DO NOT DRIVE.
💊 If you’re impaired by drugs, DO NOT DRIVE.
📱 Plan ahead. Designate a sober driver, use a ride service, or make arrangements to get home safely.

One bad decision can change multiple lives. Our goal isn’t to make more arrests — it’s to prevent crashes, save lives, and make Stanley County’s roads safer.

Please do your part:
👉 Drive Sober.
👉 Buckle Up.
👉 Slow Down.
👉 Get Home Safe.

Help us spread the word and share this message with your family and friends.

Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.

08/11/2026

🟢 UPDATE: THIS ALERT HAS EXPIRED

⛈️ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH — STANLEY COUNTY ⛈️

🚨 A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR STANLEY COUNTY UNTIL 3:00 AM CDT (2:00 AM MDT).

Severe thunderstorms are possible tonight. Residents should remain weather aware and be prepared to take action if a warning is issued.

🌩️ Potential threats include:
• Damaging wind gusts
• Large hail
• Frequent lightning
• Heavy rainfall

📱 STAY INFORMED:
Monitor myAlerts, NOAA Weather Radio, local weather information, and National Weather Service updates throughout the night.

⚠️ WATCH = Be Prepared
🚨 WARNING = Take Action

Please share this information with family, friends, and neighbors.

08/07/2026

🚧 Public Safety Notice 🚧
Date August 7 2026

Out of an abundance of caution, the City-owned parking area along Highway 83 between the Train Depot and the public reatrooms has been temporarily closed.

This decision was made following coordination with affected partners and a special City Council meeting, with public safety as the top priority.

We understand this closure is an inconvenience and appreciate the public’s patience. Taking this step now helps reduce risk and ensures emergency responders and public works crews can safely operate if conditions change.

The City of Fort Pierre, South Dakota and Stanley County Emergency Management will continue to monitor the situation with local partners. Updates will be provided as they become available, and the area will reopen once it is determined to be safe.

Thank you for your cooperation as we work to keep our community safe.

08/04/2026

🌦️ Stanley County Emergency Management Supporting Trader Days & Turkey Races Weekend 🌦️

Stanley County Emergency Management is proud to be working with the Trader Days & Turkey Races Committee, in collaboration with the National Weather Service in Aberdeen, to provide weather support throughout this weekend’s events.

Weather updates and decision support will be provided directly to event organizers, including the Brisket Cookoff and the Street Masters Annual Dam Run, helping them make informed decisions if changing weather conditions require adjustments to schedules or activities.

This service is provided free of charge as part of our commitment to public safety. By providing timely, accurate weather information, we can help event organizers respond quickly to weather-related emergencies and make any necessary event modifications using the best weather information available.

⛈️ If severe weather develops:
🏢 Designated public storm shelter locations:
• Stanley County Expo Center
• Stanley County Courthouse

We encourage everyone attending the festivities to remain weather aware throughout the weekend.

📱 Follow Stanley County Emergency Management and the National Weather Service Aberdeen for the latest forecasts, watches, warnings, and weather updates.

The best preparedness comes from receiving information from multiple trusted sources, including:
✅ myAlerts (one of Stanley County’s official emergency notification systems)
✅ National Weather Service
✅ Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)
✅ NOAA Weather Radio
✅ Trusted local media and weather apps

Need myAlerts?
📲 Apple (iPhone): Open the App Store and search for “myAlerts.”
📲 Android: Open the Google Play Store and search for “myAlerts.”

Download the app, create an account, and select Stanley County, South Dakota to receive local emergency notifications directly on your mobile device.

Have a safe and enjoyable Trader Days & Turkey Races weekend! We look forward to helping keep our community informed, prepared, and weather aware.

08/03/2026

🟢 UPDATE: THIS ALERT HAS EXPIRED

🚩 RED FLAG WARNING – STANLEY COUNTY 🚩

The National Weather Service in Aberdeen has issued a Red Flag Warning for Stanley County. Under Stanley County Ordinance 2016-01, a countywide burn ban is automatically in effect for the duration of the warning.

📅 Effective: Monday, August 3, 2026
🕛 Noon CDT (11:00 AM MDT) through 9:00 PM CDT (8:00 PM MDT)

Expected Conditions

🌬️ North winds: 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 45 mph

💧 Relative Humidity: 25% to 35%

What This Means

Critical fire weather conditions are expected. Any fire that starts can spread rapidly and become difficult to control. A Red Flag Warning does not mean a wildfire is currently burning—it means weather conditions are favorable for extreme fire behavior and rapid wildfire growth.

Burn Ban Reminder

🚫 No open burning is permitted while the Red Flag Warning is in effect. This includes burning brush, debris, and other open fires prohibited under Stanley County Ordinance 2016-01.

Help Prevent Wildfires

• Do not burn debris or brush.
• Avoid parking or driving vehicles in tall, dry grass.
• Avoid activities that create sparks, including welding or grinding in dry vegetation.
• Secure trailer safety chains to prevent sparks.
• Properly dispose of ci******es and smoking materials.
• Never leave a campfire unattended, and only use fires where permitted after the warning has expired.
• Report any signs of smoke or wildfire immediately by calling 911.

One Less Spark. One Less Wildfire.

Stay informed by monitoring trusted sources, including the National Weather Service, Stanley County Emergency Management, and local public safety agencies. Have multiple ways to receive emergency information and be prepared to act if a wildfire develops.