Cherokee County Emergency Management

06/02/2026

Update as of 3:00 pm Monday, June 1, KDOT had not installed the signs yet.

ATTENTION the intersection of K-26 and Bagdad Road old K-12 junction will be a 4-way stop by end of day

05/31/2026

UPDATE 6:45 A.M. SUNDAY:
After working through the night, our crews have the Columbus substation back online. If you are still out of power, please let us know by calling (620) 724-8251 or entering your outage in SmartHub.

ORIGINAL POST:
We are seeing numerous outages on our system with the largest number on our Columbus substation. As of now we are aware of damage to six transmission poles. Crews and contractors are gearing up to make the required repairs but it is going to be a long process. Our estimated restoration time is 8 AM tomorrow morning. Thank you as always for your patience.

05/31/2026

Please report any storm damage if you have any. Cherokee County Emergency Management is aware of the power outages. At this time, I’m being told there are approximately 732 homes without power.

I have seen Heartland crews throughout the county working and bringing in supplies to assist with restoration efforts.

Please stay safe, remain vigilant, and avoid any downed power lines or hazardous areas. If you have storm damage to report, please contact Emergency Management via text message or email.

[email protected]

620-429-0813

05/30/2026

⚠️ SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT ⚠️

Issued until 3:30 PM CDT

At 2:38 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over Chetopa moving east at 25 MPH.

Hazards include:
• Wind gusts up to 50 MPH
• Penny-size hail

Impacts:
• Gusty winds may knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects
• Minor hail damage to vegetation is possible

05/21/2026

Congratulations to these outstanding ladies for successfully passing their National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) and Kansas State EMT exams!

Here at Cherokee County Emergency Management, we are incredibly proud of your hard work, dedication, and commitment to bettering public safety within our community. Your passion for helping others and stepping up to serve during emergencies does not go unnoticed.

The future of emergency services is brighter because of individuals like you. Congratulations again on this huge accomplishment — Cherokee County is lucky to have you! 🚑👏

05/17/2026

🚑 National EMS Week 2026 🚑

This week, Cherokee County Emergency Management proudly recognizes and honors the dedicated EMS professionals who answer the call day and night to serve our communities.

To our paramedics, EMTs, dispatchers, first responders, and emergency medical personnel — thank you for your compassion, sacrifice, professionalism, and unwavering commitment to saving lives.

Whether responding to medical emergencies, severe weather events, vehicle accidents, or moments of crisis, EMS personnel are there when people need help most. Their calm under pressure and dedication to caring for others does not go unnoticed.

Please join us in thanking the men and women of Emergency Medical Services for their tireless work and dedication to Cherokee County and beyond.

If you see an EMS provider this week, take a moment to thank them for all they do.

From all of us at Cherokee County Emergency Management:
We appreciate your service. We support your mission. We thank you for your sacrifice.

05/13/2026

Please see the Columbus USD 493 Storm Shelter Policy.

05/12/2026

🇺🇸 National Police Week 🇺🇸

This week, Cherokee County Emergency Management proudly recognizes and thanks the brave men and women in law enforcement who serve and protect our communities every single day.

To our local police officers, sheriff’s deputies, dispatchers, troopers, and all law enforcement personnel — thank you for your sacrifice, dedication, and unwavering commitment to keeping Cherokee County safe.

Your courage does not go unnoticed. Whether it’s responding in the middle of the night, standing beside first responders during disasters, or helping citizens on their hardest days, your service matters.

Please join us in showing appreciation to the officers who work tirelessly for our communities. If you see a law enforcement officer this week, take a moment to simply say thank you.

From all of us at Cherokee County Emergency Management:
We appreciate you. We support you. We stand with you.

05/12/2026

📣 PUBLIC NOTICE – EPA DRONE OPERATIONS 📣

Cherokee County Emergency Management would like to notify the public that, per EPA UAS policy, an EPA contractor will be conducting planned drone (UAS) operations within the Cherokee County Superfund Site work area near Baxter Springs, Kansas.

📍 Work Area: Sunflower Mine Complex
🗓 Scheduled Flight Date: Monday, May 18th at 10:00 AM (weather permitting)
🗓 Backup Flight Date: Tuesday, May 19th at 10:00 AM

The work area is generally located west of Baxter Springs and is bordered by:

• Stateline Rd to the South
• Swalley/30th St to the West
• 19th St to the North
• Ballard Rd to the East

All landowners and adjacent landowners either have been, or will be, notified prior to flight operations.

These operations are part of ongoing environmental work within the EPA project area. There is no immediate danger to the public associated with these drone flights.

If you have any questions, please contact Cherokee County Emergency Management.

Thank you,
Cherokee County Emergency Management

05/06/2026

Just a quick reminder that the first Wednesday of every month at 11 o’clock storm sirens will be tested. There is no active emergency at this time.

🚨 Tornado Siren Testing Today – Please Disregard

In partnership with our County Dispatch Center, we will be conducting a couple quick tests of our tornado siren system today beginning at 11:00 AM.

There is no emergency—please disregard the sirens during this time.

If you notice that a siren is not activating in your neighborhood, please notify the Columbus Fire Department or comment on this post so we can follow up.

Thank you for your help!
Cherokee Co Sheriff's Office- Kansas
City of Columbus, Kansas
Cherokee County Emergency Management