Emergency Management Agency - KBOE 104.9FM Hot Country

The company that built the Dakota Access oil pipeline that runs diagonally across Iowa, from the northwest to the southeast is making donations to emergency responders in every county the pipeline crosses in Iowa and three other states.

Mike Futch, vice president of Energy Transfer Partners, explains the motive.

“In recognition of our dedication and our commitment to operate our pipelines in a very safe and regulatory-compliant and reliable manner, one of the things that’s very important to a system like that is a very close working relationship with first responders and emergency responders,” said Futch.

The pipeline crosses 18 counties in total in Iowa and also carves a path across Illinois and North and South Dakota. The news conference was held in South Dakota and Futch says they want to be good corporate partners with every county the pipeline touches.

In Iowa, the total donation is $360,000 to units in 18 counties. The total donation in the four states adds up to one-million dollars as the pipeline covers 50 counties in all.

The Dakota Access Pipeline crosses through Jasper, Mahaska, Wapello, Keokuk, Jefferson, Van Buren and Lee counties in Southeast Iowa. Each will receive a check for $20,000.

Jamey Robinson, EMA/911 Administrator in Mahaska County, said his office has identified potential areas for projects. Potential projects include active shooter equipment and simulation, rehabilitation equipment during extreme hot or cold, search and rescue equipment, and lastly, equipment to safely remove debris from infrastructure, such as saw assets.

Chuck Fry, vice president for liquid pipelines at Energy Transfer, says the pipeline passing through Iowa is now fully assembled and carrying petroleum.

“Operationally, it can run at full capacity but it’s not fully subscribed by shippers yet,” Fry says.

The company is also giving the state of North Dakota 15-million dollars for protest-related expenses.

At the last Emergency Management Agency meeting on September 21st, Jamey Robinson the EMA/911 Administrator, said that the Mahaska County 911 Communications and dispatch center can now receive text messages during an emergency. Robinson noted this would be crucial for the deaf/mute community, as well as children or others who may not be in a safe position to speak on the phone.

Mahaska County is joined by almost 80 percent of the counties in Iowa to have this feature. State officials say by the end of the year, ALL of Iowa’s 9-1-1 dispatchers should be able to respond to text messages. Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management director Mark Schouten says text-to-9-1-1 service already has been used in Iowa when a call would have put someone in danger.

“We’ve had cases of a suspected intruder into a home; a domestic assault incident; a sexual assault in progress; and a child who used it to report being kidnapped,” said

Schouten, though, cautions a CALL to 9-1-1 is preferable because the dispatcher can get crucial information more quickly, like your location. Pin-pointing the physical address from which a text is sent is not yet perfected. If text-to-9-1-1 is not available in a city or county, a “bounceback” message will be sent.

Counties that have yet added this feature include Franklin, Hancock, Henry, Jefferson, Johnson, Lee, Marion, Monona, Plymouth, Pottawattamie, Ringgold, Scott, Van Buren, Washington, Webster and Winnebago.

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First Responders in Iowa Receiving Checks From Dakota Access Pipeline

Text to 911 Now Available in 81 Iowa Counties, Including Mahaska

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