11-09-1983 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINNESOTA CHAPTER American Public Works Association Dear Local Government Leader: What if a major tornado, windstorm, or flood hit your area today? Would you have enough manpower and equipment to cope with such events? Experience has shown that no single organization is able to adequately deal with these situations. To help overcome this problem, the Minnesota Chapter of the American Public Works Association (MPWA), has concluded that a new cooperative approach would be very beneficial to most local government or- ganizations. The solution would be for the government agencies to set up mutual aid assistance groups around the state to provide the basis of aiding each other when such major events occur. Police and fire departments have used similar approaches successfully for many years. Such aid would be done totally on a voluntary basis with no one being required to provide either manpower, nor equipment to any other organization, unless they chose to do so. By entering into a joint cooperative agreement now for the use of other or- ganizations, personnel and equipment, you will be prepared for fast action. You would have information already available showing what equipment others own, who to contact (including after working hours), and be able to move at once, without red tape delays. The cost of operating such associations is anticipated to be extremely small. Please review the accompanying model resolution and mutual aid agreement, or give it to the appropriate individual in your organization. 1 hope that it will explain the proposed approach. If you have any questions, please list them with the tear -off portion of the next page, contact any of the committee members, or attend the fall meeting of MPWA scheduled for November 17 and 18, Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. Please do not put off consideration of this idea on the assumption that it would not happen to you, the feeling that others would not actually help with your problem, or that it would not be useful. First -hand experience in my community, as the result of a tornado in 1981, demonstrated very clearly that it can happen to you, others do have resources and a willingness to assist, and being ready and prepared is a tremendous help. 15