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Ramsey County Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan, 2018 <br /> <br />Page | 76 <br /> <br />and road closures (MN DNR, 2004). During the 2007 event, 15.10 inches fell in 24 hours in Houston <br />County, the largest 24-hour rainfall total ever recorded by an official National Weather Service <br />reporting location. The previous Minnesota record was 10.84 inches in 1972. The resulting flooding <br />from the 2007 rainfall caused 7 fatalities (MN DNR, 2007). In September 2010, a storm on the 22-23rd <br />resulted in more than 6 inches of rain falling over 5,000 square miles in southern Minnesota. Rainfall <br />totals of more than 8 inches were reported in portions of 10 counties. The heavy rain, falling on soils <br />already sodden from a wet summer, led to numerous reports of major rural and urban flooding. For <br />many monitoring locations in southern Minnesota, stream discharge resulting from the deluge was the <br />highest ever seen during an autumn flood (Minnesota Climatology Working Group, 2010). <br />June 2014 was the wettest month on record in Minnesota, with a state-averaged rainfall of 8.03 inches. <br />This broke the previous record of 7.32 inches, which occurred in both July 1897 and June 1914. Rainfall <br />totals for much of the state ranked above the 95th percentile when compared with the historical record; <br />in some cases, the totals tripled that of the historical rainfall average for June. Scott County received <br />between 10-12 inches of rain during June 2014 (MN DNR, 2014). A presidential disaster declaration was <br />declared due to the severe storms, winds, flooding, landslides, and mudslides (DR-4182), which included <br />37 Minnesota counties (including Ramsey County) and 3 Indian Reservations. <br />Plans and Programs in Place <br />Ramsey County Emergency Operations Plan, Ramsey County COOP/COG Plan; Ramsey County Multijurisdictional <br />Hazard Mitigation Plan, THIRA – Ramsey County maintains several different plans including an Emergency <br />Operations Plan, a Ramsey County COOP/COG Plan and the Ramsey County Multijurisdictional Hazard <br />Mitigation Plan, which are designed as guides for emergency and/or recovery operations. These plans are <br />intended to assist key county/municipal officials and emergency organizations to carry out their <br />responsibilities for the protection of life and property under a wide range of emergency conditions. <br />Public Warning and Notification – In the event of emergencies or hazardous conditions that require timely <br />and targeted communication to the public, Ramsey County utilizes the Everbridge Mass Notification <br />System, the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS), Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA), <br />Ramsey County Emergency Management and Homeland Security Facebook page, and local news media. <br />Ramsey County promotes the use of NOAA weather radios by critical facilities and the public to receive <br />information broadcast from the National Weather Service. Local television & radio stations assist with <br />sharing public information. Ramsey County Emergency Communications Center has recently upgraded <br />its siren system to be fully functional with the use of polygon-based warnings. Tornado warnings issued <br />by the National Weather Service will automatically sound sirens inside or very near the polygon. <br />Flood Watches/Advisories/Warnings – Flood watches, advisories or warnings are issued by the National <br />Weather Service. Ramsey County has COOP/COG plans in place. Ramsey County also uses both the <br />county website and social media to broadcast information to employees. <br />Severe Weather Awareness Week – Ramsey County helps promote and participates in the National <br />Weather Service’s “Severe Weather Awareness Week” held in April each year. One of the days is <br />dedicated to floods and flood education. The event provides education to residents on the dangers of <br />severe weather, including flooding, and how to properly deal with it.