Whole Community Engagement
Whole Community Engagement in Emergency Management
The Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEMD) contracted with Tetra Tech Inc. (Tetra Tech) to facilitate an assessment of Iowa’s equity and diversity in disaster management plans, policies, and procedures. The project is designed to improve how Iowa prepares for, responds to, and assists underserved communities and historically marginalized populations with recovering from all types of disasters.
To better understand the expectations of emergency management at the State and local levels, Tetra Tech will engage communities across Iowa to discuss disaster response and recovery requirements through a lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion. The findings will inform Iowa’s ability to incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion into processes moving forward.
More information: Iowa Whole Community Engagement in Emergency Management website | Website En Español (Spanish version)
TAKE THE Whole Community Engagement SURVEY
The Whole Community Engagement project aims to improve how Iowa assists underserved communities and historically marginalized populations during the disaster management process. This includes efforts to prepare for, prevent, respond to, and recover from all types of disasters. You are invited to participate in the following survey to provide input on your current perception of equity in the state.
Demographic Statistics for Iowa
Gaining a comprehensive understanding of the communities served by your organizations is critical to ensuring that disaster management efforts are effective in protecting the life, safety, and health of the whole community. Inequities due to age, finances, mobility, and more, can contribute to barriers that result in individuals being ill-equipped and under prepared for emergencies. By identifying potential inequities at the City and County-level, you will be positioned to address them prior to an emergency, build the overall readiness of a community or individual, and increase the chances of survival during an emergency or recovery following a disaster.
Schedule
The Iowa Whole Community Engagement in Emergency Management project is scheduled to engage HSEMD, local jurisdiction emergency managers, and their community stakeholders. Tetra Tech will conduct two (2) planning meetings at eight (8) locations across the State and two (2) virtual town hall meetings to solicit feedback and vet possible solutions.
Lessons learned
The Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEMD) seeks to operationalize equity, inclusion, and diversity frameworks in all emergency management efforts. HSEMD is currently navigating a multi-layered set of disasters across the State of Iowa stemming from flooding, wind events, and other natural disasters. The response has been both unique and dynamic and has shined a light on many lessons learned, promising practices, and innovations for future responses. These disasters also necessitated that a thorough assessment be conducted of the social equity and diversity of the Agency’s emergency management services. Because all disasters are local, HSEMD is also working with community, county, and state-level emergency management partners responsible for disaster response and recovery management efforts to ensure its collective mission serves all Iowans.
Meeting Information
As a part of the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEMD) effort to develop an equitable framework for disaster management, HSEMD invites stakeholders and members of the public to participate in a virtual meeting. This effort serves to strengthen equity in disaster management throughout the State to continue providing a high level of service to Iowa’s communities. Throughout the meeting you will gain an understanding of the project, while having the opportunity to provide feedback based on your lived experiences during disasters in Iowa. Your participation will aid in identifying strengths, gaps, and best practices for how the State assists for all Iowans when faced with disasters.
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