State emergency management officials gave high marks to Gasconade County for its level of preparedness as the Meramec Region braced for bitter cold during the recent storm. That was the message Gasconade County Emergency Management Director (EMD) Clyde Zelch had Thursday morning for the County Commission.

“I was told that Gasconade County was one of the best-prepared counties with the big storm,” Zelch said during the Commission’s first-Thursday-of-the-month session in Owensville City Hall. The meeting marked the first session with Republican Tim Schulte sitting in the presiding commissioner’s chair.

One of the concerns of being prepared for what turned out to be a lack of snow and ice but an overabundance of dangerously cold temperatures was having warming stations in place for residents who might have lost power or who lacked proper heat during the frigid days. As it turned, Zelch said, not only were some Gasconade County residents kept warm, but so were some Franklin County residents. The EMD said he had no issues with helping residents of the neighboring county.

“These are human beings who needed help, so I helped them,” he said.

Still, Zelch said, a First-Class county such as Franklin should have had the services in place for its residents.

“You would think Franklin County has enough money to take care of their own people,” he said.

Owensville Mayor John Kamler, attending the Commission session, noted that his employer, Walmart, also served as a warming center for residents and he added that he appreciated what Zelch did to get the county ready for the storm.

“The way that cold (weather) was, we didn’t want anybody out,” Kamler said.

Meanwhile, prior to the session, Zelch outlined to the Gasconade County Republican an upcoming public awareness campaign aimed at increasing individual residents’ preparedness for emergencies. The project will include a You Tube video that Zelch will produce with his son Jacob, emphasizing the importance of families and individuals having a plan in place for emergencies such as the severe winter storm that blew across the region recently.

Zelch said as he juggles the various aspects of his position — a part-time county government appointed position — he doesn’t have as much time as he would like to delve into emergency management. That’s why it’s important that individuals have a measure of responsibility in developing their own plan, complete with having essential items on hand in the case of an emergency.

“They can’t sit back and rely on a guy who works part time,” Zelch told The Republican.

More information on the public awareness campaign will be announced as it becomes available, Zelch said.