Mutual Aid Agreements (EMAC/IMAC)
Iowa Mutual Aid Compact
The Iowa Mutual Aid Compact (IMAC), signed into law in 2002, is an intrastate mutual aid agreement that provides the mechanism for political subdivisions and emergency management commissions to share resources with one another during a disaster that has been declared either by the local jurisdiction or the governor. The Compact increases each member’s level of emergency preparedness, allowing them to work as a team when disasters are beyond local capabilities. Legislation passed during the spring 2009 legislative session provides for some important changes: emergency management commissions are now included as IMAC signatories, and membership in the compact is now automatic for all political subdivisions, unless they take defined steps to withdraw from membership.
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IMAC Frequently Asked Questions
Who is included in the Iowa Mutual Aid Compact (IMAC)?
All emergency management commissions, counties, cities, townships and other political subdivisions are defined as “participating governments” under IMAC (IA Code Ch. 29C.22 §1a).
What is a political subdivision?
Political subdivisions for our purposes in IMAC have three distinctive qualifiers:
1. A geographical boundary
2. Taxation authority
3. Elected Officials
What if we already have 28E agreements?
The IMAC legislation does not supersede or replace any other agreements political subdivisions may already have in place. It is, however, a very clean and efficient way to utilize mutual aid in a declared event. IMAC may cover issues not formerly addressed in other agreements such as tort, liability, costs, etc.
How much does it cost to belong to IMAC?
There are no costs associated with IMAC, however, if a political subdivision chooses to withdraw from the program, there may be costs associated with passing the local ordinance or resolution. Political subdivisions may incur internal costs associated with managing the program.
Does there have to be an emergency declaration in place to use IMAC?
The answer is both yes and no.
- Yes—if IMAC is being requested in response to an actual incident. In the case of an actual incident, the Compact can be utilized in the management of any emergency or disaster that is declared in accordance with a countywide comprehensive emergency operations plan (local declaration) or by the Governor (Governor’s Proclamation). The emergency can be a result of a natural disaster, technological hazard, man-made disaster, community disorder, insurgency, terrorism or enemy attack (IA Code Ch. 29C.22 §1b).
- No declaration is needed if IMAC is being used as part of an emergency-related exercise, test, or other training activity that simulates actions taken by participating governments during an emergency (IA Code Ch. 29C.22 §1c).
Is a participating government required to render aid to the requesting party?
It is expected that participating governments will render aid to the extent they are capable without jeopardizing their own response capabilities. The Compact allows responding agencies to withhold resources to the extent necessary to provide reasonable protection for their own jurisdiction (IA Code Ch. 29C.22 § 4).
Emergency Management Assistance Compact
The Division’s responsibilities sometimes extend beyond state boundaries. HSEMD works with other states to provide resources through the national Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC). Since Iowa became a member of EMAC in 1997, it has deployed many state and local government resources to other states. In the fall of 2008, Iowa provided assistance through EMAC to Texas in response to Hurricane Ike. In spring 2009, Iowa assisted North Dakota during a record flooding event. Iowa continues to participate in EMAC exercises with neighboring states, and serves as the lead state representative for FEMA Region VII and is a member of the Executive Task Force. Iowa’s HSEMD representative continues to provide EMAC presentations throughout the region and mentoring other member states in our FEMA region.
In addition, HSEMD is involved in many state-to-state, regional, and national collaborations for important initiatives including catastrophic and special needs populations planning and agroterrorism emergency response planning.
