WATCH: IL state reps challenge IEMA-OHS responses to local agencies

By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security officials are promising to be more responsive to local emergency management agencies after state lawmakers raised concerns.

IEMA-OHS has proposed rule changes involving accreditation and other issues which affect local emergency services disaster agencies.

During a Joint Committee on Administrative Rules hearing on Wednesday, state Rep. Steven Reick, R-Woodstock, noted that there have been delays with the agency’s drafting of revisions and issues with certification and paperwork.

Reick said the extensive rule-making expected in the next two months will have a great impact on local emergency management agencies.

Louise Conway, deputy general counsel for IEMA-OHS, told Reick her agency is aware that local emergency services disaster agencies have been unhappy with with the state’s rule-making process.

“That’s noted, and we can make a better effort to explain that we are making changes, and we are keeping the local ESDAs involved in this,” Conway said.

Reick said there is only one person running local emergency management agencies in some counties.

“Their complaint is they spend more time filling out paperwork that is required in order to determine what eligibility they have for what limited funds are available rather than planning on what would happen if an emergency actually happened,” Reick said.

State Sen. Don DeWitte, R-St. Charles, expressed concern that local agencies tried to provide input but did not get responses.

Conway said her agency revised its proposed rule changes based on input from local agencies.

“Our leadership is 100% about listening to comments and anything from our local ESDAs,” Conway said.

Reick said Conway’s comments do not conform with feedback from local emergency managers.

“This seeming, top-down attitude that these folks are seeing is going to require us to take a very hard look at anything that comes out in the way of rule-making,” Reick said.

Reick said there needs to be discussion between IEMA-OHS and local agencies before he would approve any rule changes sought by the state agency.

DeWitte said any rule-making from IEMA-OHS should be vetted by all of the state’s local emergency management people.

“I’m with Representative Reick. I’d like to see some improved communication before any of this gets processed,” DeWitte said.