Crawford County Emergency Management - Iowa

Home
United States
Denison, IA
Crawford County Emergency Management - Iowa

Website

Official page for Crawford County EMA.

The primary goal of Emergency Management is keeping the communities, citizens, and visitors of Crawford County safe and prepared for natural disasters, acts of terrorism, man-made disasters, or other emergencies.

10/31/2026

🎃👻 Happy Halloween, Crawford County! 👻🎃

Wishing everyone a fun, safe, and spook-tacular Halloween! Before heading out for treats, check out the safety reminders and trick-or-treat forecast below. 🔦🍬

Enjoy the costumes, watch out for one another, and have a fang-tastic time! 🎃

10/30/2026

Emergency Management 101: Episode 4 – 9/11, Homeland Security and Modern EM
The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, triggered major changes in how the federal government organizes homeland security and emergency management. In 2002, Congress passed the Homeland Security Act, creating the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and bringing together parts or all of 22 federal agencies into one department focused on preventing terrorist attacks, reducing vulnerability, and helping the nation recover from major incidents. On March 1, 2003, FEMA—previously an independent agency—was moved into DHS, becoming one component of a larger homeland security enterprise and taking on an expanded mission to reduce loss of life and property from “all hazards,” including natural disasters and acts of terrorism.

In the years that followed, new national frameworks were developed to make emergency management more consistent and interoperable across the country. The National Incident Management System (NIMS) was created to give all levels of government, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector a shared vocabulary and set of operational systems for working together to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from incidents. Presidential Policy Directive 8 on National Preparedness and related FEMA guidance defined five mission areas—prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery—and outlined how federal plans support state and local plans to build a secure, resilient nation. These frameworks strengthened the “all hazards” concept introduced earlier and pushed everyone—from small counties to federal agencies—to use common planning and coordination tools.

More recently, FEMA has emphasized a “Whole Community” approach, recognizing that government alone cannot meet the challenges of large disasters. Whole Community guidance calls on emergency managers to engage businesses, nonprofits, faith based groups, schools, and residents themselves, and to focus on understanding local needs, building relationships, empowering local action, and strengthening everyday community networks. Modern emergency management—at FEMA, at Iowa’s Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, and at local agencies like Crawford County Emergency Management—now blends homeland security and traditional disaster work, uses national frameworks like NIMS, and relies on whole community partnerships to handle everything from severe weather and floods to hazardous materials incidents and potential acts of terrorism.

10/28/2026

Our appreciation doesn’t begin or end with a date on the calendar.

On National First Responders Day, we’re taking an extra moment to recognize the firefighters, EMS personnel, law enforcement officers, and dispatchers who serve Crawford County every day.

Their commitment doesn’t follow a schedule. Neither does our gratitude. Through overnight calls, missed family moments, and difficult situations, they continue to show up for our communities.

To our first responders and the families who stand beside them: thank you for all you give to Crawford County. Our appreciation extends far beyond today—it’s there every time you answer the call.

10/16/2026

🚨 Introducing Community Connect! 🚨

Crawford County Emergency Management is excited to introduce Community Connect, purchased with grant funding through our service area!

When an emergency happens, knowing a little more about your household can help first responders better prepare to assist you. Community Connect is a free, secure online platform where residents can voluntarily share important information before an emergency occurs.

🏠 What information can you share?
📞 Emergency contacts.
♿ Mobility challenges or other functional needs that may require additional assistance.
🐾 Pets in your home, including photos to help responders identify them.
🏡 Property details that could help responders during an emergency.

🔒 How is your information protected?
Your information is not part of a publicly searchable directory. Community Connect uses 256-bit encryption to protect your data and restricts access to your participating emergency services agency through its responder software. According to Community Connect, information is accessed only during an emergency at your address or a large-scale disaster.

You choose which information you feel comfortable sharing and can update your profile as your household’s needs change.

✅ Getting started is simple!
Create an account, add the details you want first responders to know, and keep your information current. Taking a few minutes now can help responders better understand your household’s needs when it matters most.

👉 Create your household profile here: https://www.communityconnect.io/info/ia-crawfordcounty

Help us prepare today so we can better help you tomorrow!

10/15/2026

It is that time of year! 🥶

FREEZE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING

WHAT...Sub-freezing temperatures as low as 30 possible.

WHEN...From late Friday night through Saturday morning.

IMPACTS...Frost and freeze conditions could kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing.

10/14/2026

Emergency Management 101: Episode #3 – FEMA and the All-Hazards Model

By the late 1970s, federal disaster programs were scattered across multiple agencies—insurance, flood control, preparedness, civil defense, and relief all lived in different places—making it hard for states and communities to navigate the system. To fix this, President Jimmy Carter signed Executive Order 12127, effective April 1, 1979, activating the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and consolidating many of those disaster related responsibilities into a single federal agency. FEMA absorbed programs from HUD, the National Weather Service Community Preparedness Program, the Federal Insurance Administration, and civil defense responsibilities from the Defense Department, and was given a dual mission of emergency management and civil defense.

In the following years, landmark legislation like the Disaster Relief Act of 1974 and the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act of 1988 refined how federal assistance is provided after disasters and encouraged comprehensive preparedness and mitigation planning. The Stafford Act became the main legal authority for FEMA’s disaster programs, reinforcing the idea that the federal government steps in when states and local governments are overwhelmed, rather than replacing their responsibilities. This framework pushed states and communities to develop their own emergency operations plans and hazard mitigation plans, tying local planning directly to eligibility for federal support.

Out of this consolidation and new legislation grew the modern “all hazards” emergency management concept. Professionals began to organize their work around four phases—mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery—so that communities would be continuously identifying risks, planning and training, responding effectively, and rebuilding in ways that reduce future damage. Today, that all hazards approach is reflected at every level of the system: FEMA at the federal level, Iowa’s Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management at the state level, and local agencies like Crawford County Emergency Management all use the same basic phases and frameworks to manage everything from severe storms and floods to hazardous materials incidents and other emergencies.

10/08/2026

Emergency Management 101: Episode #2 – The Civil Defense Era

During World War II and the early Cold War, “emergency management” in the United States was largely known as civil defense and focused on protecting civilians from enemy attack. The federal government created civil defense programs, air-raid warning systems, and guidance on shelters so communities could practice blackouts, duck and cover drills, and taking cover from potential bomb blasts. In this era, siren systems and public drills became part of everyday life in many towns, long before they were widely used for severe weather warnings.

At the same time, Congress began to formalize disaster relief for natural hazards instead of passing one off relief bills after each event. The Federal Disaster Relief Act of 1950 created the first permanent authority for federal disaster assistance, giving the President the power to declare disasters and direct federal agencies to support states and local governments when events exceeded their capacity. Later updates in the 1960s and 1970s refined those authorities and expanded the types of assistance available, gradually building a more systematic federal disaster relief framework.

By the end of the civil defense era, the United States had two key pieces in place: a national system for warning and protecting civilians from major threats and a standing legal framework for federal disaster assistance. Those civil defense programs, sirens, and disaster law became the foundation for the modern emergency management system that would eventually be consolidated into FEMA and mirrored at the state and local levels – including Iowa HSEMD and the Crawford County Emergency Management Agency.

Pictures show the original documents establishing the Crawford County Civil Defense Agency in 1965.

10/01/2026

CRAWFORD COUNTY EMERGENCY ALERT:

Flash Flood Warning issued October 1 at 1:19AM CDT until October 1 at 7:15AM CDT by NWS Des Moines IA

09/30/2026

Emergency Management 101: Episode #1 - From Fire Relief to a Profession

Emergency Management as a profession older than most people realize. In 1803, Congress passed what is commonly considered as the first federal disaster relief law to help Portsmouth, New Hampshire rebuild after a devastating fire that overwhelmed local resources and threatened national commerce. Over the next century, federal help for disasters came in one off laws for things like major fires, floods, and other disasters. During this timeframe, charitable groups and local governments carried most of the financial burden to rebuild.

By the early and mid-1900s, new laws and programs began to formalize pieces of disaster work: flood control projects, disaster loans for damaged public facilities, and eventually the Federal Disaster Relief Act of 1950, which created the first permanent authority for federal disaster assistance and Presidential disaster declarations. Responsibility was still fragmented across dozens of agencies, which in turn created a confusing system for states and communities trying to get help. After recognizing the need for a more unified approach, President Jimmy Carter signed and Executive Order in 1979 creating the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which became the federal hub for coordinating emergencies and disasters.

Today’s emergency management system looks like this – FEMA at the federal level, Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) at the state level, and county offices like Crawford County Emergency Management – grew out of those early steps from ad-hoc relief towards a coordinated, all hazards profession.

This Emergency Management 101 series will build on that history to explain how emergency management works in Iowa, how it’s governed and funded, and what our office does every day to help keep Crawford County prepared.

Address

1202 Broadway
Denison, IA
51442

Website

https://www.crawfordcounty.iowa.gov/emergency_management/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Crawford County Emergency Management - Iowa posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.