Weekly Fiscal Facts are provided to Wisconsin NewsMedia Association members by the Wisconsin Policy Forum, the state’s leading resource for nonpartisan state and local government research and civic education. The Wisconsin Policy Forum logo can be downloaded here.
Wisconsin is expected to face more frequent, more severe extreme weather events in coming years.
Residents rely upon a network of local and state agencies and community organizations to prepare our communities to respond to them.
As their work faces federal funding cuts and future uncertainty, it is an opportune time to assess
how it could be strengthened, a new Wisconsin Policy Forum report finds. Opportunities include strengthening coordination among government agencies and with community organizations, and increasing public engagement in preparedness activities.
State government could play a larger role by gathering information on individuals’ assessments of their own hazard risks and preparedness. Another option could be providing additional relief aid and assistance in response to emergencies. However, trying to fill in for federal resources would be difficult given the potential scope of the need and the state’s fiscal constraints.
These findings come as the federal government denied the region’s request for public assistance for local governments in the wake of last year’s floods in southeastern Wisconsin. As previous Forum research noted, this storm set Wisconsin’s all-time record for most rain in a 24-hour period, causing more than $240 million in damage. Yet, of Wisconsin’s 23 declared disasters since 2000, the 2025 flood was the only time that public assistance for infrastructural repairs was not approved by the federal government.
Wisconsin communities face the greatest threats from severe storms that can result in flooding, tornadoes, or destructive winds. In winter, extreme cold and heavy snowfall pose dangers, while extreme heat and wildfire smoke have emerged as threats in summers.
When an emergency occurs, Wisconsin’s multifaceted response begins, starting with our first
responders such as firefighters, police officers, or paramedics. Volunteer and nonprofit
groups also play a key role.
Before these emergencies even hit, however, extensive work is done to prepare for disasters. Every county, city, village, and town in Wisconsin is required to have a head of emergency management. Their work includes creating hazard mitigation plans, often referred to as local blueprints or playbooks for emergency response. When disasters happen, these officials spring into action, coordinating and overseeing the response. Wisconsin Emergency Management (WEM) is the statewide body responsible for providing guidance to local emergency preparedness efforts.
To understand how local communities are assessing risks and preparing for severe weather events and other emergencies, we took a closer look at emergency preparedness activities in Milwaukee, Pepin, and Richland counties. Our report identifies lessons learned from each of these counties.
Our prior research has documented the fiscal constraints facing local governments, which limits
resources available for emergency management. As federal support to local governments for hazard
mitigation and recovery efforts becomes more uncertain, these funding gaps are likely to widen.
Officials interviewed by the Forum also point to federal-level changes that could meaningfully improve preparedness and resilience statewide. These include restoring funding for hazard mitigation and recovery projects, revising hazard mitigation planning requirements and incentives to better reflect local needs, and broadening eligibility criteria for mitigation projects that reduce future disaster risk.
This information is a service of the Wisconsin Policy Forum, the state’s leading resource for nonpartisan state and local government research and civic education. Learn more at wispolicyforum.org.
