KTIV NewsChannel 4 Sioux City IA: News, Weather and SportsSafeguard Iowa Encourages Partnerships
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Business officials as well as representatives of emergency responders from around Iowa met in Denison today to learn more about the Safe Guard Iowa Program.
In an effort to increase readiness for disasters in Iowa communities the Safeguard Iowa Partnership held workshops in Denison Monday to help private and public agencies understand their roles and responsibilities before, during, and after an emergency.
"Our goal is really to bring together our private businesses with our public agencies or government agencies so that they are preparing and planning together in a coordinated fashion," said Jami Haberl, Executive Director of Safeguard Iowa.
By encouraging private businesses to partner up with the public emergency responders, the hope is that in the event of a disaster the response will run more smoothly.
The importance of an existing relationship between public and private entities could be seen as officials responded to the Barton Solvents Explosion in Des Moines last fall.
The wholesale industrial chemical supplier, exploded into a blaze of fire and black smoke forcing two highways to close.
The Emergency Management Director for Polk County says the relationship was vital to emergency responders as they battled the explosion. "As the event unfolded they had details of valves and different products and so they were able to be right at the incident command post, working with the fire department and other emergency services to mitigate the incident," said A.J. Mumm, Emergency Management Director with Polk County.
Joe Solem, with the EFCO Corporation, their headquarters were across the street from Barton, says public and private officials need to work together. "The incident commander has one seat and right beside them should be the person responsible for the private industry," said Solem.
According to Haberol, the Safe Guard Iowa Partnership is seen as an example around the nation for teaming up private and public entities.
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