Emergency Management

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From left, Krisi Turman (director of the Office of
Emergency Management), Jonathan Nesladek, Tina Titze,
Rone Mielke, and Lt. Col. Orson Ward

Emergency Management Assistant Director Receives Patriot Award

Tina Titze, Assistant Director of the South Dakota Office of Emergency Management (OEM), recently received the Service Member Patriot Award from the United States Department of Defense.

Titze earned the honor for her support as a citizen employer of South Dakota Army National Guardsman member Jonathan Nesladek, an OEM employee.

The Patriot Award is given to citizen employers who offer their employee soldiers flexible schedules, time off prior to and after deployments, leaves of absence if needed and consideration of needs of family members.

"I am honored to accept the Patriot Award on behalf of all of the employees in OEM," Titze said. "When Jonathan is called away, his duties are covered by others in the office, so the award truly belongs to all of them. Coming from a military family and having a brother as a full-time member of the National Guard, I understand the sacrifices they make to allow the rest of us to enjoy the freedoms we sometimes take for granted. I am proud of Jonathan and proud to support him in this way."

                             

Nesladek said he is honored to be part of an agency that "makes it so smooth to transition from one uniform to another. Not only does OEM support me as one soldier, but because of it, the whole organization is supported."

 

The ceremony was held at the George S. Mickelson Criminal Justice Center in Pierre on Thursday, February 7.  Lt. Col. Orson Ward of the South Dakota National Guard presented the award. Ron Mielke, chair of the Department of Defense Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, also attended.

 

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Our purpose is to protect South Dakotans and their property from the effects of natural, man made, and technological disasters.  To fulfill our charge, we recognize the four phases of emergency management:

 

Preparedness Planning, training and exercising on how to respond to an emergency. Citizen Corps Hazardous Materials Homeland Security Planning B Ready Training Exercise	Response Coordinating activities and resources as the emergency is evolving. OEM Field Operations County Emergency Managers
Recovery Assisting the local jurisdiction to return to a normal lifestyle. Individual Assistance Program Public Assistance Recovering from Disaster Small Business Administration Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster	Mitigation Ways to reduce or eliminate loss if the same event occurs again. Hazard Mitigation Grant Program National Flood Insurance Program Pre-Disaster Mitigation