Governor Gretchen Whitmer is a lifelong Michigander. She is a lawyer, an educator, former prosecutor, State Representative and Senator. She was the first woman to lead a Senate caucus. But the most important title she boasts is MOM. Inspired by her family, she’s devoted her life to building a stronger Michigan for everyone.
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October 13, 2022
Late October 6, 2022, a large-scale industrial fire began at a paper plant and a neighboring warehouse in the city of Menominee. Menominee County issued a local state of emergency the following day.
The city and county responded swiftly and activated mutual aid for assistance in firefighting measures. Firefighters from both Michigan and Wisconsin responded to the ongoing incident, consistent with the Northern Emergency Management Assistance Compact and the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System. The Environmental Protection Agency also dispatched a team to conduct air quality monitoring and testing because an 8,000-gallon tank of peroxide was in the fire’s likely path. Residents of both the city of Menominee and the city of Marinette, Wisconsin were advised to shelter in place due to smoke-related hazards.
Despite local efforts, as supplemented by assistance provided through mutual aid agreements, Menominee needs additional state support to combat the fire. State resources are also needed to provide technical assistance to ensure that water run-off from fire suppression efforts do not threaten local water supplies. Further, the local jurisdictions have incurred substantial costs in connection with fire suppression and other clean-up efforts. State assistance and other outside resources are necessary to effectively respond to and recover from the impacts of this emergency; protect public health, safety, and property; and lessen or avert the threat of more severe and lasting harm.
Section 1 of article 5 of the Michigan Constitution of 1963 vests the executive power of the State of Michigan in the governor. Under the Emergency Management Act, 1976 PA 390, as amended, MCL 30.403(4), “[t]he governor shall, by executive order or proclamation, declare a state of emergency if he or she finds that an emergency has occurred or that the threat of an emergency exists.”
Therefore, acting under the Michigan Constitution of 1963 and Michigan law, including the Emergency Management Act, 1976 PA 390, as amended, MCL 30.401 to 30.421, I order the following:
1. A state of emergency is declared for Menominee County.
2. The Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division of the Department of State Police shall coordinate and maximize all state efforts and may call upon all state departments to utilize available resources to assist in the designated area pursuant to the Michigan Emergency Management Plan.
3. The state of emergency is terminated at such time as the threats to public health, safety, and property caused by the emergency no longer exist, and appropriate programs have been implemented to recover from the effects of this emergency, but in no case later than Wednesday, November 9, unless extended as provided by the Emergency Management Act.
Click to view the full PDF of the executive order.
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