Inside OPPD’s Response to a Once-in-500-Year Ice Storm

Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) received the Gold Emergency Management Award for its response to a rare, once-in-500-year ice event in 2025. OPPD executed a comprehensive, safety-first emergency management response grounded in “one-voice” communications, disciplined incident command, and organizational agility. The storm brought hurricane force winds and three to five inches of ice to energized infrastructure, impacting 132,000 customers. While addressing the most significant infrastructure damage in the utility’s history, OPPD remained steadfast in its commitment to honest and frequent outage communications, consistent prioritization of safety, and an unwavering pledge to work continuously until full restoration was achieved.

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Speaker:

Tonya Ngotel, Manager, Emergency Preparedness, OPPD

Tonya Ngotel is the emergency preparedness manager for Omaha Public Power District in Southeast Nebraska, she leads the efforts of the emergency management, business continuity & FEMA recovery teams. Tonya has responded to multiple complex disasters including wildfires and severe weather and brings strategic focus and a collaborative mindset to any crisis. Bringing over 20 years of experience in emergency management and leadership to OPPD. She earned a master’s degree in public health with an emphasis in emergency planning at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and a bachelor’s degree from Doane University.

 

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