EXEMPLARY PRACTICES IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
North Iowa Hazardous Emergency Action Team
Program Description: The North Iowa Hazardous Emergency Action Team (HEAT) was formed by an eight-county Regional Emergency Planning District Committee to provide an appropriate, safe, and timely response to extremely hazardous substance incidents occurring within its operating region -- the North Central Iowa counties of Cerro Gordo, Floyd, Franklin, Hancock, Kossuth, Mitchell, Winnebago, and Worth. HEAT seeks to raise the awareness of the public and private sectors within its region with regard to hazardous materials in their communities. Team members are trained in accordance with National Fire Protection Association and OSHA standards, and provide HAZMAT operations-level training to the eight-county emergency response community. Additional goals are to equip its team with state-of-the-art HAZMAT response apparatus, utilize baseline physicals and proper medical monitoring of team members, and train all firefighters within its region to utilize the Incident Command System. A typical response to an Emergency Health Service release in the region consists of a command vehicle, HAZMAT apparatus, up to 15 HAZMAT team members, and the necessary number of multidisciplinary support people for the impacted jurisdiction.
Evaluation Information: HEAT has been recognized by the media, Iowa HazMat Task Force, and local industry. In 1994, $15,000 was provided to train about 70 fire departments in four 4-hour sessions. Thus far, all but 23 fire districts have been trained. The eight-county region petitioned the Iowa State Emergency Response Commission to recognize the region and allow it to have a Regional Emergency Planning District.
Annual Budget: FY 1995, $156,802; FY 1996, $69,970.
Sources of Funding: Regional county special levy, Hazardous Materials Transportation Uniform Safety Act, Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) III, and Mason City and North Iowa Mercy Health Center grants.
Program Type: Regional eight-county HAZMAT emergency response unit and team.
Target Population: Approximately 137,425 urban and rural residents in the eight-county region.
Setting: Regional, centered at the Mason City Fire Department.
Project Startup Date: 1995.
Contact:
Don Friest
Director/Coordinator
North Central Iowa Emergency Management Agencies
78 South Georgia
Mason City, IA 50401
Tel: 515-421-3665
Fax: 515-421-3639
Last Modified: Thursday, 30-Mar-2006 10:42:23 EST