Northeast Nebraska Emergency Managers Work Together at Missouri River Outdoor Expo

Published 3:06 pm Thursday, September 24, 2026

Emergency management (EM) is often most visible when severe weather strikes, a

major accident occurs or a disaster affects a community. However, much of the work

that makes an effective emergency response possible happens long before an incident

occurs.

EMs from across Northeast Nebraska are putting that philosophy into practice during

the 2026 Missouri River Outdoor Expo at Ponca State Park in Dixon County, working

together as part of the Northeast Planning, Exercise and Training (PET) Region.

The Outdoor Expo brings thousands of visitors, exhibitors, volunteers, and public safety

personnel together for one of the region’s largest annual outdoor events. Events of this

size provide EMs with an opportunity to work alongside neighboring jurisdictions,

strengthen communications and practice the coordination that becomes critical during

real-world emergencies.

Mike Frohberg, Stanton County Emergency Management Director, has participated in

the Ponca Expo for five years and said,

“Collaborating with other counties during trainings and events like the Ponca

Expo helps Stanton County build strong working relationships before an emergency

occurs.” Frohberg said. “It gives Stanton County the opportunity to share ideas,

resources, and experience while learning how neighboring jurisdictions operate.

Because disasters do not stop at county lines, those relationships make mutual aid and

coordination more effective. Ultimately, regional collaboration strengthens Stanton

County’s preparedness and ability to serve our communities.”

For Northeast Nebraska’s EMs, regional cooperation is an important part of

preparedness.

No single county or community has unlimited personnel, equipment, or resources.

During a significant emergency or disaster, local jurisdictions may quickly need

assistance from neighboring counties, state agencies, and other partners. Relationships

established before an emergency can make that assistance faster and more effective

when it is needed most.

Working together at the Outdoor Expo gives an opportunity to strengthen those

relationships in a real-world environment while supporting the safety of the event and its

visitors. The Northeast PET Region brings emergency management professionals from

communities throughout Northeast Nebraska together to coordinate planning, training,

exercises and preparedness efforts. The Region includes Antelope, Burt, Cedar,

Cuming, Dakota, Dixon, Knox, Madison, Pierce, Stanton, Thurston, and Wayne

counties. Although each EM remains responsible for his or her own jurisdiction, the

regional approach allows agencies to share knowledge, experience, and resources.

That cooperation is especially important in rural Nebraska, where emergencies do not

stop at county lines. Severe thunderstorms and tornadoes can affect several counties in a matter of minutes. Wildfires can cross jurisdictional boundaries. Hazardous-material incidents, major

transportation accidents, flooding, communication failures, and other emergencies can

require resources well beyond those available to a single community.

“I jumped at the opportunity to help out as an Emergency Manager in Ponca,”

Jason Redding-Geu, Burt County Emergency Management Director, stated. “In the

past two years that I have been serving as EM for Burt County, the other EMs within the

Northeast PET Region have come to assist our county during several events, both

trainings and emergencies. My participation was not only to return the favor, but every

time I work with this group, I learn more about our capabilities and how to best serve

Burt County when the need arises. I am also happy to show that Burt County is willing

and capable of helping our neighbors wherever we can.”

Events such as the Expo provide another opportunity for EMs to become familiar with

one another’s capabilities and procedures before those resources are needed during an

actual emergency. Just as importantly, working together helps build personal relationships among the people who may one day find themselves sitting beside each other in an Emergency

Operations Center (EOC) or coordinating resources at an Incident Command Post (IC).

Emergency management is built around partnerships — between counties, cities, fire

and rescue departments, law enforcement, emergency medical services, public works,

dispatch centers, state agencies, volunteer organizations and many others.

The cooperation taking place at the 2026 Missouri River Outdoor Expo is one example

of those partnerships at work. For visitors, much of that coordination may happen quietly behind the scenes. But for Northeast Nebraska’s emergency managers, every opportunity to plan, communicate, and work together strengthens the region’s ability to respond when the next emergency occurs.

Ultimately, regional preparedness comes down to a simple principle: neighbors

helping neighbors.

When an emergency affects Northeast Nebraska, county lines may define jurisdictions

— but they do not define who is willing to help.