About Us

The Illinois Emergency Services Management Association membership is comprised of professional emergency managers, emergency management staff and private sector partners across the State of Illinois. As the voice of Emergency Management, IESMA serves as the conduit from local to state and federal agencies. IESMA utilizes a collaborative platform to enhance the emergency management profession through mutual aid services, public relations and professional standards.

IESMA leadership consists of the President who represents and conducts the day to day business on behalf of the association. The First Vice president supports the President and the executive board of directors and serves ex-officio on all committees. The Second Vice President assists the President and First Vice President with ongoing projects and serves ex-officio on all committees. The Treasurer is responsible for all budgetary and financial aspects of the association. The Secretary compiles all minutes and other recording duties of the association and maintains such records of all meetings and other functions of association and the executive board. Regional Vice Presidents report directly to the President and executive board and hold regional informational meetings regarding the association business. Regional Vice Presidents represent ten regions across the state that closely resemble the Illinois Emergency Management Agency regions.

The association is governed by the executive board consisting of the elected officers and active past presidents. The executive board is guided by the association constitution and policy and procedures that outline the rules and regulations of the association. Many committees ranging from emergency management to the private sector help to guide the association with new and innovative processes to enhance the emergency management profession.

IESMA has represented local emergency management in many areas, through the Illinois Terrorism Task Force Emergency Management Committee that has procured over nine million dollars to enhance and support emergency management programs such as the Unified Command Vehicles (UCP), Interoperable Tactical Emergency Communications Systems (ITECS), Emergency Operations Center Technology grants, weather radios and the purchase and deployment of emergency power generator caches located throughout the State of Illinois.
 
Another important area is mutual aid through the Illinois Emergency Management Mutual Aid System (IEMMAS), an agency-based agreement between local governments and IESMA providing mutual aid to agencies that may need emergency management support in times of disaster or other emergencies that may overwhelm local jurisdictions. These services are provided by highly trained members of the Emergency Management Assistance Team (EMAT) comprised of North, Central and Southern teams.  These teams are equipped with the necessary interoperable communications, information technology equipment and mobile Emergency Operations Center to augment or stand as temporary Emergency Operations Center, if necessary. All IESMA assets are dispatched and tracked from the association’s 24-hour dispatch center (EM-COM).

Through continued communication, collaboration and cooperation, the association strives to strengthen and enhance the Emergency Management profession through active participation of its membership and through strong partnerships with other first response agencies and organizations.