• Complete a comprehensive assessment with the Drug Court staff
• Complete the substance abuse treatment recommended by the Drug Court staff
• Attend regular appearances before the Drug Court Judge
• Submit to regular drug testing
• Pay a weekly program fee to the Drug Court
• Pay part of the costs of treatment, based on ability to pay
• Reside in a participating county while in the program
• Maintain employment, attend school, or complete other conditions as directed by the Court or staff
• Meet with the Drug Court staff
• Pay any court costs due
• Obey all laws

• If charged with an ineligible offense, such as murder, manslaughter, robbery, felony assault, sexual assault, or assault with a deadly weapon
• Prior felony conviction for a crime of violence
• Prior or current offense involved the use or possession of a firearm or a dangerous weapon
• Prior or current offense resulted in death or serious bodily injury
• Current offense involved the use of force against a person
• Two or more felony convictions
• Multiple prior misdemeanors for crimes against a person, such as assault, domestic violence, resisting arrest, assaulting a law enforcement officer, or flight to avoid arrest

• Paternity establishment; 
• Orders to Show Cause, also known as “contempt” hearings; or 
• Child support modifications 

If a tornado, ice storm, winter storm or other disaster ever strikes your community, you might not have access to food, water and electricity for days. By taking a little time now to store emergency food and water supplies, you can provide for your entire family.

WATER: THE ABSOLUTE NECESSITY
Stocking water reserves should be among your top priorities in preparing for an emergency. You should store at least a three-day supply of water for each member of your family.  Everyone's needs will differ, depending upon age, physical condition, activity, diet and time of year.  A normally active person needs to drink at least two quarts of water each day, but the heat of summer can cause a person to need double that amount.  Children, nursing mothers and ill people will also need more.  You will need additional water for food preparation and hygiene, so it is recommended that you store a total of at least one gallon per person, per day.

How To Store Emergency Water Supplies
You can store your water in thoroughly washed plastic, glass, fiberglass or enamel-lined metal containers. Never use a container that has held toxic substances, because tiny amounts may remain in the container's pores. Sound plastic containers, such as soft drink bottles, are best.

Before storing your water, treat it with a preservative, such as chlorine bleach, to prevent the growth of microorganisms. Use liquid bleach that contains 5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite and no soap. Add four drops of bleach per quart of water (or two scant teaspoons per 10 gallons), and stir.  Seal your water containers tightly, label them and store them in a cool, dark place.

Another method to store water is to simply purchase bottled water and leave the seals intact, but remember to rotate your water every six months or as date stamped on the bottles.

Hidden Water Sources in Your Home
If a disaster catches you without a stored supply of clean water, you can use water in your hot-water tank, in your plumbing and in ice cubes. As a last resort, you can use water in the reservoir tank of your toilet (not the bowl), but purify it first (described later).

Water beds hold up to 400 gallons, but some water beds contain toxic chemicals that are not fully removed by many purifiers. If you designate a water bed in your home as an emergency resource, drain it yearly and refill it with fresh water containing two ounces of bleach per 120 gallons.

To use the water in your pipes, let air into the plumbing by turning on the highest faucet in your house and draining the water from the lowest one.

To use the water in your hot-water tank, be sure the electricity or gas is off, and open the drain at the bottom of the tank. Start the water flowing by turning off the water intake valve and turning on a hot-water faucet. Do not turn on the gas or electricity when the tank is empty.

Do you know the location of your incoming water valve? You'll need to shut if off to stop contaminated water from entering your home if you hear reports of broken water or sewage lines.

Family Disaster Supply Kit
It's 2:00 a.m. and a railroad derailment has caused officials to order an evacuation of half of the community. There's no time to gather food from the kitchen, fill bottles with water, grab a first-aid kit from the closet and snatch a flashlight and a portable radio from the bedroom. You need to have these items packed and ready in one place before disaster hits.

Pack at least a three-day supply of food and water, and store it in a handy place. Choose foods that are easy to carry, nutritious and ready-to-eat. In addition, pack these emergency items:

• Medical supplies and first aid manual
• Hygiene supplies
• Portable radio, flashlights and extra batteries
• Shovel and other useful tools
• Money and matches in a waterproof container
• Fire extinguisher
• Blanket and extra clothing
• Infant and small children's needs (if appropriate)
  

FOOD:  PREPARING AN EMERGENCY STOCKPILE
If activity is reduced, healthy people can survive on half their usual food intake for an extended period and without any food for many days. Food, unlike water, may be rationed safely, except for children and pregnant women.

If your water supply is limited, try to avoid foods that are high in fat and protein, and don't stock salty foods, since they will make you thirsty. Try to eat salt-free crackers, whole grain cereals and canned foods with high liquid content.

You don't need to go out and buy unfamiliar foods to prepare an emergency food supply. You can use the canned foods, dry mixes and other staples on your cupboard shelves. In fact, familiar foods are important. They can lift morale and give a feeling of security in time of stress. Also, canned foods won't require cooking, water or special preparation.  The following are recommended short-term and long-term food storage plans.

Storage Tips

• Keep food in the driest and coolest spot in the house, a dark area if possible.
• Keep food covered at all times.
• Open food boxes or cans carefully so that you can close them tightly after each use.
• Wrap cookies and crackers in plastic bags, and keep them in tight containers.
• Empty opened packages of sugar, dried fruits and nuts into screw-top jars or air-tight cans to protect them from pests.
• Inspect all food containers for signs of spoilage before use.

Short-Term Food Supplies
Even though it is unlikely that an emergency would cut off your food supply for a week, you should prepare a supply that will last that long.  A supply that will last for a week can relieve a great deal of inconvenience and uncertainty until services are restored.

The easiest way to develop a stockpile is to increase the amount of basic foods you normally keep on your shelves. Remember to compensate for the amount you eat from other sources (such as restaurants) during an average week.

You may already have a supply of food on hand that will last for a week. Keeping it fresh is simple. Just rotate your supply once or twice a year.

Special Considerations to Keep in Mind
As you stock food, take into account your family's unique needs and tastes. Try to include foods that they will enjoy and that are also high in calories and nutrition. Foods that require no refrigeration, preparation or cooking are best.

Individuals with special diets and allergies will need particular attention, as will babies, toddlers and the elderly. Nursing mothers may need liquid formula, in case they are unable to nurse. Canned dietetic foods, juices and soups may be helpful for the ill or elderly.

Make sure you have a can opener and disposable utensils. And don't forget nonperishable foods for your pets.

How to Store Your Short-Term Stockpile
Keep canned foods in a dry place where the temperature is fairly cool--not above 70 degrees Fahrenheit and not below freezing.

Rotate your food supply.  Use foods before they go bad, and replace them with fresh supplies, dated with ink or marker. Place new items at the back of the storage area and older ones in front.

How to Cook if the Power Goes Out
For emergency cooking you can use your propane or charcoal grill or camp stove outdoors only. Canned food can be eaten right out of the can. If you heat it in the can, be sure to open the can and remove the label first.

Nutrition Tips
In a crisis, it will be vital that you maintain your strength. So remember:

• Eat at least one well-balanced meal each day.
• Drink enough liquid to enable your body to function properly (two quarts a day).
• Take in enough calories to enable you to do any necessary work.

Buffalo County will (may) provide public road top only maintenance within established subdivisions on the following basis:

Subdivision must be properly platted and recorded with established roads dedicated to the public.

Subdivision must present the County Board of Commissioners a petition for such maintenance signed by a majority of property owners.

Maintenance will be on a "Low-priority" basis, as compared to "Regular or High-priority" main roads, school bus routes, emergency roads, section line and half section line roadways.

The County may require the subdivision to improve roads to minimum standards if there is difficulty operating maintenance vehicles because of such conditions. The cost of their improvement or any other significant road improvements shall be the financial responsibility of the subdivision.

Each subdivision should have an alternate snow removal plan in the event that emergency situations dictate the use of equipment elsewhere.

It is further recommended that each subdivision's governing body or committee appoint one representative within the subdivision to communicate problems or questions to the County Road Department.

Check the Nebraska VoterCheck Website to access your polling place address and party affiliation.

Click on your polling place below for contact information and a map.

Severe storms strike quickly! Thunderstorms can produce heavy rain, strong winds, lightning, hail and tornadoes. You may need to respond promptly to one of these threats posed by a storm in your area.

The National Weather Service, in cooperation with the broadcast media, BuffaloWatch and the local spotter system, will provide you with the warnings you need to quickly respond. If you listen to the media, you will know when a storm is approaching your area and you will know if you need to take protective action.

Watch or Warning
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are right for the development of storms. Stay tuned to the media for further advisories.

A Severe Thunderstorm Warning means a storm is probable in the warned area and residents there should be prepared to take cover.

Don’t wait until an emergency siren sounds to start looking for flashlights and other things. Plan ahead. When severe storms threaten, keep alert. Stay tuned to the media for current information. Know where to find shelter. Pick the safest spot. Make sure the entire family knows where to go – at home, at work, in school, at the mal l- anywhere they might be when the storms strike. Avoid traveling. If you live in a mobile home, you should make sure the mobile home is securely anchored. During storm warnings, you should seek more secure cover and have a plan that includes abandoning your mobile home.

Flash flooding
Floods kill more people on average than tornadoes and lightning combined! Most flood deaths are due to flash floods. Flash floods are often the result of heavy rains associated with severe thunderstorms. You will not always have a warning that these deadly, sudden floods are coming.

When a Flash Flood Watch is issued, be alert and be ready to evacuate on a moment’s notice. When a Flash Flood Warning is issued, or the moment you realize a flash flood is imminent, act quickly to save yourself. You may only have seconds. Nearly half of all flash flood fatalities are auto related. In your automobile, look out for flooding at highway dips, bridges and low areas. Do not drive through flowing water. A mere two feet of water will carry away most automobiles.

Lightning
Lightning kills between 75 and 100 people nationwide annually. During thunderstorms, stay inside. If you are outdoors, an automobile is a safe place to be. Indoors, keep away from doors, windows, stoves, sinks, metal pipes or other conductors. Disconnect electrical appliances such as TV’s, radios and computers. Outdoors, minimize your height but don’t lie flat. Do not take shelter under a tree. Stay away from wire fences, overhead power lines and other metallic conductors. Avoid standing in small sheds in open areas.

Tornadoes
The most destructive and devastating product of a thunderstorm, these violent "twisters", are characterized by a twisting, funnel-shaped cloud, which forms from the bottom of a wall cloud and touches the ground. Tornadoes are often accompanied by lightning, heavy rain and hail. In an average year, the United States reports 800 tornadoes resulting in 80 deaths and 1,500 injuries.

While they can occur all year, they are most common during the spring in the Great Plains, where they develop along “drylines,” which separate very warm, moist air to the east from hot, dry air to the west. Tornado-producing thunderstorms may form as the dryline moves east during the afternoon hours. Nebraska is in the middle of tornado alley and each year the state averages 35 tornadoes.

Knowing tornado safety is your best hope for surviving. You must have a PLAN. Stay tuned to the media when the watches are sounded and be prepared to seek shelter if a tornado warning is issued in your area. The safest place to be when a tornado strikes is in a basement under something sturdy like a workbench. If your house doesn’t have a basement, seek shelter in a small room in the middle of the house. A closet or bathroom is best. The more walls between you and the approaching storm the better.

Have a portable radio and flashlight handy to take with you.

If you live in a mobile home, even those with tie-downs, seek more permanent shelter. Go to a prearranged shelter. Go to a friend’s house or a nearby structure with a basement. As a last resort, go outside and lie flat on the ground with your hands over your head and neck.

In an automobile, never try to outrun a tornado. Tornadoes can toss cars, and even large trucks, around like toys. Get out of your vehicle and seek a safe structure or lie down in a low area with your hands covering the back of your head and neck; keep alert for flash floods.

At Work or School, know the emergency shelter plans. If no specific plans exist, go to an interior hallway or small room on the building’s lowest level. Avoid areas with glass and wide, freespan roofs.

In a store or shopping mall, if you can’t get to a basement or designated shelter, go to the center of the lowest level of the building. Avoid windows and lie flat. Cover yourself with any handy object.

Most towns in Nebraska sound the sirens when tornado warnings are issued or a funnel cloud is sighted. Some times there are no warnings though. The best bet is to be aware of weather conditions and be prepared to seek shelter.

A Tornado Watch is issued when conditions are favorable for them to develop. Be prepared to take action.

A Tornado Warning is issued when radar indicates a tornado, or if a funnel cloud has been sighted. Seek shelter immediately.

Potential Shelter List

Each year, the National Weather Service issues numerous watches, warnings and advisories.  Knowledge of those products is a critical element in winter weather preparations.

• Winter Storm Watch - Adverse winter weather (heavy snow, blizzard) is expected within the next two days, but the exact timing, location or occurrence of the storm is still uncertain. This is the time to get prepared for the storm.

• Winter Storm Warning - Hazardous winter weather is likely. If not already occurring, it is expected to occur within 6 to 24 hours. Travel will be hazardous, if not impossible. You should be ready for the storm by this time. Stay indoors!

• Blizzard Warning - The most dangerous of all winter weather will occur in your area. A combination of winds 35 mph or greater and significant snow and/or blowing snow with visibilities less than ¼ mile for three or more hours is expected in the warning area. Blinding snow ("white out"), deep drifts and life threatening wind chill will occur. Travel will be dangerous and should not be attempted. You should seek refuge immediately!

• Winter Weather Advisory - Winter weather conditions are expected to cause significant inconveniences and may be hazardous. If caution is exercised, these situations should not become life threatening. The greatest hazard is often to motorists.

Things to do at home or work BEFORE a winter storm strikes...

Primary concerns are the potential loss of heat, power, telephone service, and a shortage of supplies if storm conditions continue for more than a day.

Have available:

• Flashlight(s) and extra batteries.
• Battery-powered Weather Radio and portable radio. These are used to receive emergency information. They may be your only link to the outside.
• Extra food and water. High-energy food, such as dried fruit or candy, and food requiring no cooking or refrigeration is best.
• Extra medicine and baby items.
• First-aid supplies.
• Emergency heating source, such as a fireplace, wood stove, space heater, etc. Make sure you know how to uses the heating sources to prevent a fire and make sure you have proper ventilation.
• Fire extinguisher and smoke detector. Test units regularly to ensure they are working properly. Replace batteries the same weekend as the time change occurs in the spring (daylight-savings time) and fall (standard time).

On the farm....

• Move animals to sheltered areas. Shelter-belts, properly laid out and oriented, are better protection for cattle than confining shelters, such as sheds.
• Haul extra feed to nearby feeding areas.
• Have a water supply available. Most animal deaths in winter storms are from dehydration.
• Heating fuel. Fuel carriers may not reach you for days after a severe winter storm. Stay alert to changing weather conditions throughout the winter to maintain an adequate fuel supply in advance of severe weather moving into the area.

WINTER PRECIPITATION TERMS:

Snow

• Flurries - Light snow falling for short durations. No accumulation or light dusting is all that is expected.
• Showers - Snow falling at varying intensities for brief periods of time. Some accumulation is possible.
• Squalls - Brief, intense show showers accompanied by strong, gusty winds. Accumulation may be significant. Snow squalls are best known in the Great Lakes region.
• Blowing Snow - Wind-driven snow that reduces visibility and causes significant drifting. Blowing snow may be snow that is falling and/or loose snow on the ground picked up by the wind.
• Blizzard - Winds over 35 mph with snow and blowing snow reducing visibility to near zero.

Sleet

Is formed by raindrops that freeze into ice pellets before reaching the ground. Sleet usually bounces when hitting a surface and does not stick to objects. However, it can accumulate like snow and cause a hazard to motorists.

Freezing Rain

Is rain that falls onto a surface that has a temperature below freezing. This causes it to freeze to surfaces, such as trees, cars, and roads, forming a coating or glaze of ice. Even small accumulations of ice can cause a significant hazard.

Wind Chill

The wind chill is based on the rate of heat loss from exposed skin caused by combined effects of wind and cold. As the wind increases, heat is carried away from the body at an accelerated rate, driving down the body temperature. Animals are also affected by wind chill.

WINTER DRIVING

The leading cause of death during winter storms is transportation accidents. Preparing your vehicle for the winter season and knowing how to react if stranded or lost on the road are the keys to safe winter driving.

Have a mechanic check the following items on your car:

• Battery
• Antifreeze
• Wipers and windshield washer fluid
• Ignition system
• Thermostat
• Lights
• Flashing hazard lights
• Exhaust system
• Heater
• Brakes
• Defroster
• Oil level (if necessary, replace existing oil with a winter grade oil or the SAE 10w/30 weight variety)

• Install good winter tires.  Make sure the tires have adequate tread. All-weather radials are usually adequate for most winter conditions.
• Keep a windshield scraper and small broom for ice and snow removal.
• Maintain at least a half tank of gas during the winter season.
• Plan long trips carefully.  Listen to the radio or Call 511 from anywhere in Nebraska for Nebraska Traveler information for the latest road conditions. Always travel during daylight and, if possible, try not to travel alone.
• Let someone know your timetable and primary and alternate routes.
• Dress to fit the season.  Wear loose-fitting, light-weight, warm clothing in several layers. Trapped air insulates. Layers can be removed to avoid perspiration and subsequent chill. Outer garments should be tightly woven, water repellent and hooded. Wear a hat. Half your body heat loss can be from the head. Cover your mouth to protect your lungs from extreme cold. Mittens, snug at the wrist, are better than gloves. Try to stay dry.
• Carry food and water.  Store a supply of high-energy "munchies" and several bottles of water.

Carry a WINTER STORM SURVIVAL KIT in your vehicle that includes:

• Flashlights with extra batteries
• First aid kit with pocket knife
• Necessary medications
• Several blankets
• Sleeping bags
• Extra newspapers for insulation
• Plastic bags (for sanitation)
• Matches
• Extra set of mittens, socks, and a wool cap
• Rain gear and extra clothes
• Small shovel
• Small sack of sand for generating traction under wheels
• Small tools (pliers, wrench, screwdriver)
• Booster cables
• Set of tire chains or traction mats
• Cards, games, and puzzles
• Brightly colored cloth for a flag
• Canned fruit and nuts
• Non-electric can opener
• Bottled water

IF TRAPPED IN CAR DURING A BLIZZARD:

• Stay in the car. Do not leave the car to search for assistance unless help is visible within 100 yards. You may become disoriented and lost in blowing and drifting snow.
• Display a trouble sign. Hang a brightly colored cloth on the radio antenna and raise the car hood.
• Occasionally run engine to keep warm. Turn on the car's engine for about 10 minutes each hour. Run the heater when the car is running. Also, turn on the car's dome light when the car is running. Beware of carbon monoxide poisoning.  Keep the exhaust pipe clear of snow and open a downwind window slightly for ventilation.
• Watch for signs of frostbite and hypothermia.
• Do minor exercises to keep up circulation. Clap hands and move arms and legs occasionally. Try not to stay in one position for too long.
• If more than one person is in the car, take turns sleeping.
• For warmth, huddle together. Use newspapers, maps, and even the removable car mats for added insulation.
• Avoid overexertion. Cold weather puts an added strain on the heart. Unaccustomed exercise such as shoveling snow or pushing a car can bring on a heart attack or make other medical conditions worse. Be aware of symptoms of dehydration.

State of Nebraska - Alphabetical Index of Buffalo County Land Patents
Compiled by the Buffalo County Register of Deeds

State of Nebraska - Alphabetical Index of Buffalo County Land Patents
Compiled by the Buffalo County Register of Deeds