Montana Water /Wastewater Agency Response Network - “utilities helping utilities” through mutual aid to respond to and recover from emergencies.

Why do we need MT WARN?

The MT WARN network provides a method whereby water/wastewater utilities that have sustained damages from natural or man-made events could obtain emergency assistance in the form of specialized personnel, equipment, materials, and other associated services as necessary, from other water/wastewater utilities in the State of Montana.

How does MT WARN help?

MT WARN can help mitigate disaster and emergency events that may impact public and private water and wastewater utilities by providing rapid, short-term deployment of emergency services, work force, and equipment to assist water/wastewater utilities that are recovering from:

• Natural Disasters
  Tornados, high winds, floods, snow and ice storms, wildfire, lightning & thunder storms, regional electrical outages, pandemics, etc.
• Manmade Disasters
  Significant accidents, vandalism, hazardous materials release, riots, or terrorist attacks.

Why Join MT WARN?

Recently 9/11, the 1994 Northridge earthquake, the 1997 Red River flood, hurricanes and large flooding events have helped identify a need for water and wastewater utilities to create more intrastate mutual aid and assistance programs because:

• Utilities require specialized resources to sustain operations
• Government response agencies and other critical infrastructure rely on water supplies
• Utilities must provide their own support in the immediate aftermath of an incident as state and federal resources will not likely be available or deployed for up to 72 hours
• Large events impact regional areas, making response from adjacent utilities impractical
• Disasters impact utility employees and their families creating greater need for relief
• Agreements must be established and in place for federal reimbursement eligibility
• Engagement in mutual aid/assistance supports Department of Homeland Security requirements for compliance with the National Incident Management System (NIMS).

Renewed hope for your community

When water and wastewater service is restored after an incident, people have a renewed sense of hope that recovery will, can, and is occurring!