KDKO Radio Participates in Emergency Management Training in New Facility

By Kyler Edsitty

[Lake Andes, SD – March 3, 2026] – In December 2021, an arsonist burned down the Native American Women’s Health Education Resource Center in Lake Andes, SD, which housed KDKO radio. This tragedy devastated the staff and the surrounding community, who relied on these programs. Now with a new facility, the entire staff is equipping themselves with strategies to prevent future disasters and emergencies that could disrupt operations.

KDKO radio asserts itself as a crucial first informer by promoting the integration of culturally based programming through language, news, and public affairs to the Yankton Sioux Tribe. In addition to its programming, KDKO radio also airs emergency messaging concerning missing persons and natural disasters. In the event of an emergency, this institution and its staff members need to be protected to continue broadcasting.

KDKO is safeguarding its airwaves by participating in Native Public Media’s (NPM) Emergency Management Plan (EMP) training.

Based in Arizona, NPM is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting Tribal broadcasters across Indian Country. NPM created the EMP training and curriculum, so broadcasters can protect their staff and facilities before an emergency occurs. The curriculum was created with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) partners to provide standardized emergency response strategies. NPM made the curriculum specific to broadcast facilities and for Tribal communities with access to different resources that an urban station would have.

The EMP training begins with a module focusing on FEMA’s approach to emergency planning. This includes strategizing how to prevent specific emergencies and mitigating the effects they have. The next step in planning focuses on the collective and individual preparedness of the radio station staff, which includes implementing and practicing various drills. The next phase is where the staff determines how they will respond to emergencies and how to coordinate with first responders to stabilize the incident. Finally, the staff strategizes how the station will financially and physically recover from the incident.

Based on evaluations, KDKO staff stated that the area they are most concerned about improving is preparedness by developing evacuation and lockdown procedures for different emergencies. Although these procedures seem like common sense, developing very specific protocols with clear leadership roles will reduce confusion and ensure staff safety. Moving forward, the staff wants to develop these procedures with the assistance of local first responders. The staff also realized they are still recovering from the 2021 fire as they are still recovering files and organizational data.

With emergency planning covered, the staff focused on the station’s ability to respond to different emergencies. The capabilities assessment audits the different areas of hazard prevention, like easy access to fire extinguishers, and whether evacuation protocols are in place. The purpose of this audit is to show areas where the staff can improve their emergency readiness and where their strengths are.

The next assessment evaluates the station’s physical location and identifies which emergencies are most likely to affect staff and operations. This assessment not only includes natural and seasonal hazards but also human-caused emergencies such as chemical spills and break-ins.

KDKO staff determined that the most likely hazards affecting the station were snowstorms and flooding. With these hazards identified, they created emergency plans for each to ensure the protection of the station and its staff. These plans incorporate local resources and overall community involvement. The staff also created an emergency plan for fires, drawing on what they learned from the 2021 fire. This plan included implementing additional security measures, safeguarding the organization’s fire, and identifying alternative broadcast facilities.

To complete the training, the staff drafted a comprehensive EMP that included evacuation drills and hazard-specific emergency plans. The staff plans to incorporate local first responders and emergency management specialists to bring the plan to life.

Native American Community Board Executive Director Florence Hare spoke to the effectiveness of the training.

“The training was very productive, and several programs walked away with deliverable objectives in hand, such as an emergency plan pertinent to their department,” Hare stated. “The trainers were very informative and delivered relevant information throughout the 2 days. The trainers also kept the audience engaged in the content.  The pace of delivery was excellent.”

With new emergency training under the staff’s belt, KDKO is ready to serve its community and ensure that no natural or human-caused emergency disrupts its broadcast.

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