HR0805 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0805 LRB104 21446 ECR 36577 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Emergency management agencies, mutual aid networks, and the professionals and volunteers who support these organizations play a vital role in safeguarding the lives, property, and well-being of the people of the State of Illinois before, during, and after disasters; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security (IEMA-OHS) and local Emergency Services and Disaster Agencies (ESDAs), established pursuant to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act, serve as the backbone of the State's emergency preparedness and response system; and

WHEREAS, IEMA-OHS carries out its mission through three primary program areas, including the Office of Emergency Management, which provides technical assistance and direct support to emergency managers throughout Illinois, the Office of Homeland Security, which administers federal homeland security grant programs to local, state, and regional partners, and the Office of Nuclear Safety, which oversees the safe use and regulation of radioactive materials and works in coordination with federal, state, and local partners to ensure robust emergency preparedness around nuclear facilities and to advance modern radiation safety practices; and

WHEREAS, IEMA-OHS and local ESDAs fulfill their mission to prepare Illinois for natural, human-caused, and technological disasters through comprehensive planning, prevention, mitigation, training, and response activities; and

WHEREAS, Illinois' nationally recognized mutual aid networks, including the Illinois Public Works Mutual Aid Network (IPWMAN), the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS), and the Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System (ILEAS), provide critical statewide coordination, resource sharing, and rapid response capabilities that strengthen the State's ability to respond to disasters; and

WHEREAS, IEMA-OHS and local ESDAs collaborate with these mutual aid systems, along with local, state, and regional partners, including the Illinois Emergency Services Management Association (IESMA), to ensure a coordinated and effective all-hazards approach to emergency management; and

WHEREAS, Dedicated emergency management professionals and volunteers are entrusted with the planning, coordination, and operation of specialized programs, equipment, and resources essential to responding to pandemics, flooding, extreme temperatures, tornadoes, and other disasters; and

WHEREAS, In an evolving federal funding environment amid uncertainty regarding the future direction of federal emergency management programs and partnerships and in light of increasing severe weather and other threats to public health and safety, it is critical to strengthen preparedness, raise statewide awareness, and promote resilience to ensure Illinois remains capable of responding effectively to disasters while prioritizing the needs of its residents; and

WHEREAS, It is fitting and proper to acknowledge the service, commitment, and professionalism of emergency management professionals and volunteers and to increase statewide awareness of their essential role in protecting communities across Illinois; and

WHEREAS, On April 16, 2026, an exhibition of specialty emergency management equipment and personnel will be staged at the intersection of South 2nd Street and East Capitol Avenue in Springfield from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., providing members and staff of the General Assembly with an opportunity to observe such equipment and engage with the personnel responsible for its operation; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare April 16, 2026 as Emergency Management Day in the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we encourage the members and staff of the General Assembly to visit the exhibition of specialty equipment staged on 2nd Street and Capitol Avenue in Springfield from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on April 16, 2026, and we further encourage them to meet with the constituent emergency response personnel entrusted with the operation of such equipment; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security (IEMA-OHS), the Illinois Emergency Services Management Association (IESMA), the Illinois Public Works Mutual Aid Network (IPWMAN), the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS), the Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System (ILEAS), and the Office of the Governor as a symbol of our esteem and appreciation.