ILWARN Mutual Aid Agreement Ready

Following the impacts of Hurricane Katrina, it became apparent that even with the extraordinary efforts of utilities, water associations, and state regulatory agencies, the demand for resources and knowing where those resources were available overwhelmed the ability to effectively coordinate the initial response.

Realizing that utilities needed a different approach, the following leaders in the water community and state agencies have joined together to create the Illinois Water/Wastewater Agency Response Network or ILWARN.

Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Illinois Rural Water Association
Illinois Water Environment Association
Illinois Department of Public Health
Illinois Section AWWA

How to Join ILWARN

If your utility hasn't filled out the membership application....
1 - Click on membership application to register your utility as a member and you will receive a confirming email.
2 - After confirming your email, return to ILWARN, login and complete your full utility profile.
3 - Have your Mutual Aid Agreement signed either online or via paper copy. Submit paper copy to ILWARN, 545 S. Randall Road, St. Charles, IL 60174.
4 - Download the tutorial videos and attend local training provided by ILWARN on activation procedures.

For more information please contact info@ILWARN.org.

About ILWARN - PDF presentation on ILWARN overview

Based on three other models, CalWARN, FlaWARN and TxWARN, ILWARN is designed to provide a utility-to-utility response during an emergency.

Our mission is to support and promote statewide emergency preparedness, disaster response, and mutual assistance matters for public and private water and wastewater utilities for natural and man-made events.

The ILWARN Web site does this by providing its members with emergency planning, response, and recovery information before, during, and after an emergency. As the nationwide WARN system expands, it will become easier to provide mutual aid to other states as needed.

Through the ILWARN Web site, a member can request emergency equipment (pumps, generators, chlorinators, evacuators, etc.) and trained personnel (eg. treatment plant operators) that they may need in an emergency.

The ILWARN program provides its member utilities with:

* A standard omnibus mutual assistance agreement and process for sharing emergency resources among members statewide.
* The resources to respond and recover more quickly from a disaster.
* A mutual assistance program consistent with other statewide mutual aid programs.
* A forum for developing and maintaining emergency contacts and relationships.
* New ideas from lessons learned in disasters.

ILWARN Benefits

* No cost to become a member
* Increased planning and coordination
* Enhance access to specialized resources
* A single agreement provides access to all member utilities statewide
* Provides access to resources during an emergency without precontractual limitations or retainer fees
* Expedites arrival of aid
* Signatories have a pre-established relationship under which they are able to share resources during an emergency at the discretion of each participating agency
* Is consistent with the National Incident Management System (NIMS)
* Provides a list of emergency contacts and phone numbers
* Reduces administrative conflicts
* Agreement contains indemnification and workers’ compensation provisions to protect participating utilities, and provides for reimbursement of costs, as needed
* Increases hope that recovery will come quickly

There are two sides to this Web site. The public side is open to anyone to view. This side gives you basic information about ILWARN and how to join.