Emergency Management

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

Use 911 for EMERGENCIES ONLY  (If should dial 911 by mistake, DO NOT HANG UP, just stay on the line and explain that you accidentally misdialed.

Cell Phones with location technology only provide approximate location and may not provide an exact address of your emergency.  Always know your location.

Emergency Preparedness for the Elderly
Learn more at https://www.seniorliving.org/research/disaster-preparedness/.

Sirens

Palo Alto County Emergency Management Agency 

Duties include but are not limited to:

The Emergency Management Agency office provides a single point of coordination for Palo Alto County public safety projects. This includes emergency management planning, preparation activities such as training and exercises, response support coordination during emergencies and coordination of recovery programs following emergencies. In this capacity, EM works closely with Palo Alto County public safety organizations to facilitate a coordinated approach to multi-agency activities.

The overall goal of the Emergency Management Coordinator is: to save lives and protect property by developing programs and emergency operational capabilities that mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from any emergency or disaster.

Palo Alto County Emergency Management Commission

The commission is composed of a member of the Board of Supervisors, County Sheriff, and the mayor or the mayor's representative from each city within the county.  The commission members are the operations liaison officers between their jurisdiction and the commission. The commission shall delegate to the emergency management coordinator the authority to fulfill the commission duties.

Emergency Management Agency
1907 11^th St
Emmetsburg, IA 50536

Office: 712-852-4997   (Leave Message)
Emergency:  911 or 712-852-3535 (Communications Center)
Fax: 712-852-3247

Director- Kayla Hagen

Email: kayla.hagen@paloaltosheriff.com

Office Hours
8 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.  Monday-Friday

Staff
Chair:
Vice Chair:

NOTE: If office is closed during normal business hours call the Palo Alto Communications Center at 712-852-3535.

Palo Alto County Emergency Alert is an Emergency Notification System that serves Palo Alto County, Iowa. This will allow citizens to sign up for the types of alerts they would like to receive. Messages can be issued via landline or cell phone, text messaging and e-mail. Messages may contain photo, video and audio attachments to help subscribers understand the situation at hand, or where to find additional information.

Types of alerts you can sign up for include:

♦ Alerts from Safety Agencies in Palo Alto Co. (included automatically when registered) ♦ Optional Alerts → Weather Alerts (Watches & Warnings) → Community Alerts from all cities in Palo Alto County (select the city or cities you want) → Special needs information

If you're visiting Palo Alto County for a weekend or a short period of time, you can now do a quick sign-up to Palo Alto County Emergency Alert by simply texting PALOALTOCOUNTYEMERGENCY to 69310. This will sign you up to receive weather alerts by text message to your cell phone. To stop receiving alerts, just text STOP to 69310.

To Sign up for Palo Alto County Emergency Alerts click on the ICON.   

Palo Alto County Emergency Alert System

Palo Alto County E911 Coordinator

Duties and/or Mission 

The Palo Alto County E911 Coordinator is responsible for the administration of the 911 program for Palo Alto County.  Duties include the management of the 911 database system, Master Street Address Guide (MSAG), rural addressing, street designation, mapping, and 911 telephone systems for Palo Alto County.  The Palo Alto County E911 program is under the direction of the Palo Alto County E911 Service Board.

The overall goal of the 911 program is to facilitate the delivery of emergency services.

Palo Alto County E911 Service Board

The Service Board is composed of a public official from every jurisdiction in Palo Alto County that has a public safety agency (Fire, Law, or EMS) within its jurisdiction.