Disaster situations can strike at any time and can affect multiple population bases and a variety of businesses and industry, not to mention the employees of those operations. It is necessary to ensure that disasters are responded to and recovered from quickly through the Emergency Management System, specifically the readiness and deployment of personnel, equipment, materials and supplies and with the most resources available. Response to major emergencies involves multiple organizations collecting, collating and communicating data and information to enable better decision making that minimizes social and economic impacts.

To ensure the continuation of community activities including the restoration of critical infrastructure services, the State Emergency Operations Center now includes participation from the private sector through Safeguard Iowa Partnership. The private-sector participation at the State Emergency Operations Center supports the state's ability to respond to disasters by facilitating voluntary collaboration and information sharing among the public and private sectors. The goal is to avert or mitigate the impact of a disaster upon the State, its population and its critical infrastructure.

Best practices have shown that communication is vital to the success of any response. The State of Iowa currently uses the Iowa Health Alert Network (HAN) as their alert notification system to contact all local public health, county emergency management coordinators, hospitals, laboratories and state government officials in the event of an emergency. Safeguard Iowa Partnership has adopted this technology to include the private sector for notifications.

The Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN) is a secure Web-based communications system operated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The State of Iowa has sponsored a Safeguard Iowa Partnership portal on the HSIN to provide centralized access to information and resources concerning emergency preparedness and homeland security in Iowa.

2010 Breakthrough Objectives, Annual Improvement Projects and Targets

Objective: Identify and deploy a communication network to all Safeguard Iowa partners.

Projects: Evaluate and implement the Health Alert Network and Homeland Security Information Network as the communication network for alerting and information sharing, and maintain the Safeguard Iowa Partnership State Emergency Operations Center liaison program and develop the liaison model for county emergency operation centers.

Target: Achieve 90% Safeguard Iowa partner tested participation in the communication network, and execute the Safeguard Iowa Partnership Emergency Operations Center liaison in Polk and Linn counties.