Emergency Managment

Call: 406-357-3310
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About Blaine County Emergency Management

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Links

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Contact Information

Emergency Management 

Emergency & Disaster prepares, manages plans, and programs directed at disaster preparedness and coordination of response and recovery.

This service is mandated by State Law (10 – 3 – 401 MCA) and is provided to the City and County by an Interlocal Agreement. 

Hazard Mitigation  

The Central Montana Region Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP) is the product of a regional planning process coordinated by the Montana Disaster & Emergency Services (MTDES) in 2022-2023 to develop regional hazard mitigation plans covering the entire state of Montana. The HMP includes Blaine County and is approved and active until October 10, 2029.

The 2023 Central Montana Region HMP will serve as a blueprint for coordinating and implementing hazard mitigation policies, programs, and projects across the Region. It identifies mitigation goals and related actions to assist the participating jurisdictions in reducing risk and preventing
loss from future hazard events.

The HMPs are now considered to be in the Plan Maintenance Phase and in order to maintain compliance with FEMA regulations, a HMP does need to undergo an annual update every active year.

GIS

 The Blaine County GIS Department Members coordinate the collection and maintenance of GIS data for a number of County assets.   Blaine County utilizes ESRI ArcGIS software, Trimble and Garmin GPS units, and a Canon plotter and printer. Data is stored in both “shapefile” and geodatabase formats. County data is made available online through the Montana State Library’s Geographic Information Clearinghouse.

 

rural addressing

When moving to, buying or building a new home in Blaine County, or if you need your address verified, please contact our office to get an address assigned.  The utility companies need a rural address in order to hook up the power, gas and telephone lines to the property. It works best to obtain your address before you need these services installed.

Please use your address exactly as it is given to you; do not put RT or BOX in front of the number or alter it in any way.

 All owners of structures that have been addressed shall, display and maintain in a conspicuous place on the structure, the assigned numbers as soon as possible in the following manner: Where the residence or structure is within 50 (fifty) feet of the edge of the road right-of-way, the assigned number shall be displayed on the residence or structure visible from the roadway. Where the residence or structure is over 50 (fifty) feet from the edge of the road right-of-way, the assigned number shall be displayed on a post, fence, wall, the mail box, or on some structure at the property line next to the walk or access drive to the residence or structure. Numbers shall be displayed in a color and size visible from the road.  Every person whose duty is to display the assigned number shall remove any different number that might be mistaken for, or confused with, the number assigned.  It is also important for all residents to know your address in the event that emergency service responders are requested.  A good way to do this is to post the assigned number and road name next to your telephone for emergency reference.

 

Volunteer Emergency Responders

Blaine County has 3 volunteer Ambulance Crews located in Turner, Harlem, and Chinook.

Blaine County has 6 volunteer Fire Departments located in Hogeland, Turner, Harlem, Chinook, South Blaine and Lloyd.

 

C0mmunity Wildfire Protection plan

Blaine County is developing an updated Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) to evaluate and address the threat of wildfire throughout Blaine County. A CWPP is a planning document that helps local government, fire departments, private citizens, and other entities to plan for, respond to, and recover from wildfire events. The updated CWPP will help to secure grant funding for wildfire risk reduction projects, prioritize efforts across the landscape, and provide the community with recommendations and resources to reduce wildfire risk to their homes and property. Asa part of this process, an updated Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) will be developed for Blaine County along with identification of priority areas and projects.

The CWPP process is driven by local stakeholders and community input, and Blaine County wants and needs public input to develop a CWPP that reflects the unique needs and values of the community. 

Review the draft CWPP. 

Public Comment Survey Link: https://forms.office.com/r/0pWMBb7G4E

Click to review the CWPP Story map

 

 

Emergency Manager

Haley Velk

hvelk@blainecounty-mt.gov

EM Office

420 Ohio Street
Chinook, MT 59523
(406) 357 – 3310 

Deputy Emergency Manager

Lindsay Lowe

llowe@blainecounty-mt.gov

Our Office

Blaine County Courthouse
420 Ohio St
Chinook, MT 59523

Resources

Jobs

Privacy & Disclaimers

Office Hours

Mon-Fri: 8am - 5pm
Sat-Sun: Closed

Bio coming soon.

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Deputy Chris Adair has been with the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office since August of 2012. Since then he has become the Field Training Officer, Firearms Instructor, Armorer, Deputy Coroner, and the Senior Operator for Blaine County’s breath alcohol testing equipment. He also is the DUI Task Force Coordinator. He lives in Chinook with his wife and 2 sons. Previous to living here they were residents of Flathead County.

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John Colby started his career in Law Enforcement with the Blaine County Sheriff's Department in 1996 as a Detention Officer/Dispatcher. In 1998 he began working with the Harlem Police Department where he served as a patrolman and later as the Chief of Police. In 2001 Harlem consolidated its law enforcement with the Blaine County Sheriff's Department and John Colby remained as a Deputy Sheriff. In 2002 John accepted a job with the Williston Police Department and served as a patrolman and later as a senior patrolman. In 2007 John left the Williston Police Department and went to work for Dyn-Corp in Konduz Afghanistan training the Afghanistan Nation Police. In March 2010 John was returned to Chinook and accepted a position as a Deputy Sheriff with the Blaine County Sheriff's Department. John was promoted to the Lieutenant of the Blaine County Sheriff's Department in 2012. John is one of the Taser Instructor's, Field Training Officer, K9 Handler, and was recently assigned to the Tri-Agency Drug Task Force. John and his wife Dawn have two children JJ, and Aspyn.

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Bio coming soon

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Bio coming soon

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Bio coming soon

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Bio coming soon

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Bio coming soon

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Bio coming soon

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Robo joined the Blaine County Sheriff's Office in October of 2013. He resides with his handler Sheriff John Colby.

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Deputy Levi Gonzalez joined the Blaine County Sheriff's Department in January 2018. Levi studied Criminal Justice at Utah Valley University and Excelled in courses such as Criminal Justice, Forensics, and Criminal Law. Along with some formal education, he has trained with professional firearms instructors, and in hand-to-hand combat, to help him pursue his career in law enforcement. He moved to Montana with his wife in March of 2013 and owns a small ranch in Blaine County where he runs a small cow/calf operation. He looks forward to serving Blaine County, where he is happy to call home, with his wife, daughter and son, for many years to come.

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