Emergency managers in Minnesota

August is National Emergency Management Awareness Month, and we’re celebrating the people who work in emergency management, a field that often goes unseen. 

Throughout Minnesota, emergency managers work behind the scenes to ensure communities are prepared for disasters of all kinds. Their work takes many forms, from planning for festivals and large-scale events to preparing hospitals, protecting thousands of students and responding to severe weather in Tribal Nations. 

While the settings are often varied, the mission is always the same: Be prepared for anything that could happen to a community, coordinate people and resources should a disaster occur, and help communities rebuild afterward.  

In recognition of National Emergency Management Awareness Month, we spoke to emergency managers from around the state to learn more about them and their work. 

Ed Snetsinger: Serving the community he calls home 

For White Earth Band Emergency Manager Ed Snetsinger, emergency management is deeply rooted in community. 

Snetsinger has been involved with the Twin Lakes Volunteer Fire Department for about 25 years and has worked in emergency management for more than 20. Public service runs in his family. His father served as fire chief and volunteered with incident management teams and the American Red Cross, responding to emergencies both within White Earth and in surrounding communities. 

“Seeing the work my dad did as the fire chief in our community and beyond is part of what inspired me,” Snetsinger explained. “Having an avenue to help people during their time of need, especially here in White Earth, is one of the things that makes this career so fulfilling.” 

Today, Snetsinger coordinates preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation efforts across White Earth  — work that depends heavily on relationships with Tribal departments, counties and leaders within communities.  

“The people in these communities know each other. They know the ins and outs. They know who might need generator power if the electricity goes out. That kind of local knowledge is really important during an emergency.” 

Adam Douglas and Luke Sweere: When preparation becomes reality 

In Becker County, Emergency Management Director Adam Douglas and Deputy Emergency Manager Lt. Luke Sweere also serve in the sheriff’s office. Their work ranges from planning for severe weather and wildfires to preparing for large events like WE Fest. 

Earlier this summer, years of exercises became reality when a tornado struck the area. 

Douglas and Sweere said previous tabletop exercises helped responders move quickly. Agencies understood their roles, knew how to work together and implemented a plan that had been mapped out long before the tornado touched down.  

“Ultimately, you want people to know they won’t have to face it alone,” Douglas explained. “Thanks to good planning, we have resources in place to help the public if they’re ever impacted by an emergency.” 

Steve Moore: Preparedness in the classroom 

Steve Moore brings decades of emergency management experience to Moorhead Area Public Schools as the executive director of Operations and Emergency Management. 

A 22-year Air Force veteran, Moore has worked in emergency operations centers in the United States and overseas, including Greenland, South Korea and during two tours in Iraq.  

Today, he helps oversee the safety of approximately 7,400 students and 900 staff. His work includes maintaining the district’s emergency operations plan, training emergency response teams, and coordinating with local law enforcement. 

For Moore, preparedness means having a solid process in place so students and staff know what to do when it matters most. 

Meghan Burian: Keeping healthcare running 

At HealthPartners, Emergency Preparedness and Business Continuity Specialist Meghan Burian helps prepare eight hospitals, more than 80 clinics, a research institute and an insurance plan for emergencies — ranging from mass casualty incidents to infrastructure failures and infectious disease.  

“Preparedness is 90 percent of the job and response is 10 percent,” Burian said. “The work we do is sometimes invisible when we’re doing it well.” 

Across the profession, that sentiment rings true.  

Emergency managers work in different places, serve different communities and prepare for different types of threats. But much of their work happens long before anyone knows it is needed. It’s spent building relationships, making plans and practicing with partners across disciplines and sectors, so that when an emergency does happen, those relationships and plans can make all the difference.