Responsibilities
 

The Hardin County Emergency Management Agency plans for disasters, responds to disasters, organizes the recovery from disasters, and mitigates situations that could cause harm during a disaster. This office develops the multi-hazard plan to cover all disasters and emergencies in Hardin County. We develop the Terrorism Plan, Mitigation Plans, and Recovery Plans for Hardin County.

We train people in all emergency services on disaster response. We have public awareness programs for how to prepare for disasters. County Disaster exercises are planned and managed by this office. We implement the requirements for the National Incident Management System (NIMS), the Incident Command System (ICS), and the Multi-Agency Incident Management System.

This office works with fire departments, law enforcement agencies, emergency medical services, hospitals, public health, public works, utilities (such as pipelines, electric lines, and water), and many other local agencies. We work with many state organizations and the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division. We work with federal agencies, such as the Federal Emergency Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Homeland Security.

This agency also manages the CodeRED notification system. The CodeRED system gives county and city officials the ability to deliver pre-recorded emergency telephone notification/information messages to targeted areas or the entire county during times of emergency.

Learn more about CodeRED
CodeRED Frequently Asked Questions

Emergency Management Commission

The Hardin County Emergency Management Agency is an agency set up from the State Code of Iowa Section 29C. It has a Commission consisting of:

• 13 Hardin County town mayors or their representatives
• a member of the Board of Supervisors
• Hardin County Sheriff

Officers
Chair: Sheriff Tim Smith
Vice-Chair: Iowa Falls Police Chief Ron Kuhfus
Secretary: Supervisor Jim Johnson

The Commission hires a Coordinator to run the daily operations of the Agency. The current Coordinator is Roxanne Warnell.

The Board of Supervisors appointed the Emergency Management Coordinator as the Homeland Security Director and advisor to the county for all Homeland Security issues.