Public Works Agencies have been working on a way to assist other agencies in time of emergency or disaster. In the Post 9/11 United States, Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5 stated that Public Works employees are now First Responders in an emergency or disaster. Since no Public Works Agency in DuPage County has the resources to put towards a sustained emergency, we began to look at ways to help each other out.

The Public Works Mutual Aid system brings all municipalities and townships in DuPage County together to assist each other during a declared emergency or disaster within their jurisdictional boundaries. The system utilizes a matrix of response teams that are available within an emergency, and the County coordinates the mobilization of the equipment and personnel. By using this type of system, the stricken community does not have to waste time calling for assistance. The unique part of the PWMA system for DuPage County is that it is voluntary and the cost are assumed by the responding community, not the area that was just stricken with the emergency or disaster.

All municipalities and townships in DuPage County have the ability to activates the system after they have declared their area a disaster (ie. Tornado, Flooding...). The secondary goal of the PWMA system is to introduce it to other counties in Ilinois and the United States so that they can utilize this system if an emergency or disaster strikes their area.

Each municipality is responsible for the providing the resources to the task forces that are responding to the emergency. The program itself had minimal upfront costs, and all of the equipment that is utilized is standard to the Public Works arena. PWMA works with the DuPage County Office of Emergency Management and all major costs are funded through the Office of Homeland Security.

This program has been widely received as a way to make the best of a bad situation, and to be prepared in case of an emergency in DuPage County. The program has been introduced to all communities and townships in DuPage County at the Public Works level, the DuPage Mayor and Managers Conference, and the DuPage Emergency Managers. We seek to receive support from all groups involved, especially since this is a voluntary program and we need all groups to be involved.

Michael Meranda - Village of Oak Brook, Thomas Mefferd - DuPage County Emergency Management, Matthew York - Village of Carol Stream; Planning Committee Members: Keith Watson - Bartlett, Jim Monkemeyer - Bloomingdale, Joe Knippen - Wheaton, Dan Rosenwinkel - Bensenville, Vydas Juskelis - Villa Park, Dennis Sims - Formerly of Naperville.

The Plan was developed by a group comprised of 14 governmental agencies throughout DuPage County. The current steering committee is made up of over a dozen people from differing communities and townships.

Matthew R York
PWMA Steering Committee Chairperson
Village of Carol Stream
124 Gerzevske Lane
Carol Stream, IL 60188
myork@carolstream.org
Ph: 630-871-6261
Fax: 630-462-3650

Keith Watson
Training Coordinator
630-837-0811

Jim Monkemeyer
Committee Member
630-671-5692