In wake of Blizzard Elsa, LCEM coordinates Wisconsin Disaster Fund reimbursement effort

LINCOLN COUNTY – Last week, Lincoln County Emergency Management (LCEM) announced that it has led a countywide Wisconsin Disaster Fund reimbursement coordination effort in the wake of severe winter weather.

Blizzard Elsa impacted the area in mid-March.

“Blizzard Elsa brought significant winter storm impacts to Lincoln County, including hazardous travel conditions, heavy snow, high winds and operational challenges for local governments,” LCEM said in a release. “Following the storm, LCEM worked with municipalities and county partners to collect, organize and submit eligible reimbursement documentation through the Wisconsin Disaster Fund process.”

According to LCEM, the county has requested a total reimbursement of $343,888.51.

The reimbursement request was coordinated through the LCEM office by municipality and submitted to Wisconsin Emergency Management for state review. LCEM said the effort included coordination with affected municipalities, internal county stakeholders and state emergency management officials to help recover eligible storm-related costs.

LCEM explained that the Wisconsin Disaster Fund is a state disaster assistance program that may help local governments recover eligible costs following qualifying disaster events.

“For Lincoln County, this process supports local fiscal recovery while helping reduce the long-term impact of storm-related expenses on local taxpayers,” LCEM stated.

“This effort reflects the whole community approach that emergency management is built on,” said LCEM Director Tyler Verhasselt. “After a major winter storm like Blizzard Elsa, recovery does not happen in isolation. It takes coordination across municipalities, county departments and state partners to make sure eligible costs are documented and submitted properly. Returning valuable funding back to our local governments helps strengthen their fiscal resilience, not only for this event, but for future disasters that may occur this summer or in the years ahead.”

“The countywide request also demonstrates the importance of preparedness before, during and after emergencies,” LCEM said. “While response operations often receive the most public attention, recovery coordination is a critical part of protecting local resources and supporting long-term community resilience.”

By coordinating the reimbursement effort at the county level, LCEM said it “helped provide a consistent process for affected municipalities and county stakeholders.”

“This approach improves documentation, supports timely submission and strengthens the county’s ability to manage future disaster recovery efforts,” LCEM stated.

The request has been submitted to Wisconsin Emergency Management for review. Final reimbursement determinations will be made through the state review process in accordance with Wisconsin Disaster Fund requirements, according to LCEM.