Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Rapid City-Pennington County EM like the local office of FEMA?

Not exactly. While the Rapid City-Pennington County Emergency Management, the South Dakota OEM and FEMA are all part of the same "Emergency Management Agency" family we all very unique and charged with different and separate functions to perform. FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) is a federal agency charged with coordinating federal agencies response to disasters. Our nearest FEMA office is in Denver. The FEMA director answers to the President of the United States and sits on the President's Cabinet. The SD OEM is the state agency charged with coordinating South Dakota's response to major incidents and is based at the South Dakota Emergency Operations Center in Pierre. The Rapid City-Pennington County Emergency Management is the local government agency charged with coordinating the initial response to disasters and emergencies that occur here. The local EM director is appointed and reports to the Emergency Management Advisory Board.

In the event of a major disaster, all three of these agencies will work together to protect and serve the people affected.

I didn't hear the community warning siren during the monthly test today.
I was in my house at the time. What's wrong with the siren?

Perhaps there is nothing wrong. Remember, the community warning sirens are designed to warn persons outdoors that they should take shelter and go indoors. If you hear the warning siren in your home and it seems unusually loud or continuous (longer than 3-5 minutes) however, there may be something wrong with the siren. Please contact our office and we'll send our repair crews out to the siren in your area to check it out.

Where are the public shelters in Pennington County during a tornado warning?

There are not any designated public shelters that will be open during tornado watches or warnings. The best step to take is to learn nearby places to your home or to your workplace that will provide protection for you during a tornado watch or warning. Contact public venues ahead of time to see if their facility is open to the public as an immediate shelter during a tornado warning. Look for venues that have basements, or that have small rooms, such as bathrooms, or short hallways. A large, open space offers the least amount of protection. Ideally, the lowest possible level and smallest rooms (which have more structural support) are the safest.

Is it okay to continue swimming during a thunderstorm?

Outdoors is the worst place to be during a thunderstorm. If lightning hits water, rather than penetrating it, it stays on the surface and zips across the surface in all directions. If you are swimming anywhere in the vicinity, your chances of getting zapped are extremely high. Therefore, get out of the water right away. Quickly move indoors or into a hard-topped vehicle and stay there well after the lightning stops. If you don't have any other options than being outside, make yourself the lowest point in the area. Lightning hits the tallest object. Crouch if you are in an exposed area. Stay away from trees. Don't huddle in a group.

If I'm out golfing and a thunderstorm occurs what is the best course of action?

Every thunderstorm produces lightning. An average of 300 people are injured and 80 killed each year by lightning. Anything metal will attract lightning, golf carts, golf clubs, and golf umbrellas. The tendency will be to pull out your umbrella and take cover, but water will not hurt you, lightning striking your umbrella will hurt you. If possible, leave your golf gear and go to a low place such as a ravine or valley. Be alert for flash floods. Then squat low to the ground on the balls of your feet. Place your hands over your ears and put your head between your knees. Make yourself the smallest target possible and minimize your contact to the ground. DO NOT lie flat on the ground.

I live out in the prairie of Pennington County. Is my silo or barn a safe place to be during a thunderstorm/tornado?

Not necessarily. Often times farmhouses, barns, silos, and other structures are the only high points in prairie region, therefore lightning discharging toward the earth near them is likely to strike them. Consider attaching a lightning rod to locations you could find yourself in out in the prairie. Experience of fire-insurance companies has shown that most buildings in small towns and rural districts which have lightning-rods properly attached, with the lower end reaching well down into the moist soil, are in no danger of damage from lightning. The rod may be struck, but it carries off the electricity into the earth and saves the building from injury. If you are in that building, you will most likely not be injured. But remember, we are much safer indoors, in the most secure structure as possible, than out-of-doors during a thunderstorm/tornado.

Where can I take my pets if I need to evacuate my home?

Arrange ahead of time to take them with you if you can. Know how much space they and additional supplies for them will take in your vehicle along with your family. Spend some time prior to any threat of evacuation locating motels or boarding facilities that allow pets or that could shelter a pet or farm animal temporarily. Visit them online.

What materials are not safe to throw in my trash?

Hazardous waste is defined as a liquid, solid, contained gas, or sludge wastes that contain properties that are dangerous or potentially harmful to human health or the environment. Learn how to properly manage and dispose of hazardous waste.

Chances are, there are certain items or products in your house that you should not throw out in the trash. Many common household items, such as paint, cleaners, oils, batteries, and pesticides, contain hazardous components. Leftover portions of these products are called household hazardous waste (HHW). These products, if mishandled, can be dangerous to human health and the environment. Contact your local solid waste facility for answers.

If you are in the Rapid City Area, this link "Recycling in Rapid City; How, What and Where" may provide some answers for items that can be recycled and where you can take these items.

I found some old cans of chemicals in my garage. What can I do with them?

First of all you try to determine through markings on the containers or other clues what types of chemicals are in the cans (i.e. pesticides, old oil or gas, cleaning solutions, etc.). Please visit the Rapid City Public Works website for information on recycling and disposing of solid waste in Rapid City.

I noticed a strange smell outside my house and it's coming inside now. Can you check it out?

Yes! You should report any unusual odors immediately to your local fire department or this agency. The local fire department and/or Hazmat unit will both respond to investigate the unusual odor.

I noticed a shiny substance and unusual color on the creek down the road. Can you check it out?

Yes! Just as with an unusual odor, any unusual appearance of a local waterway should also be reported immediately to your local fire department or this agency.