The Van Buren County Office of Domestic Preparedness and Emergency Management has been honored by the Michigan Emergency Management Association for its work preparing for the restart of the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant in Covert Township.
The Van Buren County Sherif’s Department says its emergency management division was recognized for completing eight years’ worth of emergency drills and exercises in just three and a half months — a compressed schedule.
The department says since March, it has conducted roughly 30 drills and FEMA-graded exercises to ensure readiness for any incidents connected to the plant’s operation. To meet the schedule, the division expanded its staff and worked closely with fire departments, health leaders, Bronson Hospital, schools, the Red Cross, Michigan State Police, and FEMA. Exercises were held at multiple sites throughout the county, including the Emergency Operations Center at the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office.
The Michigan Emergency Management Association presented the award to the sheriff’s department during its 2025 annual conference this week.
