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April 2025
By: AJ Seely, Dallas County Emergency Management Director
While many people recognize the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), fewer are aware that similar capabilities exist locally. In Iowa, every county is required by law to provide emergency management services. In less populous counties, a single paid professional often fulfills this role, while larger counties may have additional support staff. These local emergency management agencies (EMAs) provide tailored services to meet community needs.
By law, emergency management is involved in both local and state disaster declarations, helping ensure a connected network of resources. Think of emergency management as the central hub during an incident, working alongside Unified or Incident Command, with resource connections as spokes to that hub.
For fire service professionals, this relationship is particularly crucial. Emergency management offers expertise in the Incident Command System (ICS) and resource management, among others, acting as a "force multiplier" to link departments with the support they need—whether that’s equipment, personnel, or technical expertise.
Local EMAs operate under two primary modes:
Building Local Capabilities – EMAs help cities, counties, and departments strengthen their own internal disaster management abilities.
Providing Direct Support – When emergencies occur, EMAs provide expertise and resources to assist local jurisdictions in response efforts.
Resource Management: One of emergency management's key responsibilities is resource management. EMAs ensure that the right local resources are used for each incident. If a fire department needs specialized resources, they can contact their local emergency manager. The EMA will coordinate with local, regional, or state partners via an interim mutual aid agreement called the Iowa Mutual Aid Compact (IMAC) to source what’s needed.
When local resources are insufficient, EMAs can escalate requests to Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management, potentially involving state, military, or federal assets. Emergency managers have advanced knowledge of available resources and work within legal protocols to facilitate their use.
Daily Operations: While emergency management is often associated with disaster response, much of their work happens behind the scenes. EMAs collaborate with partners year-round to prepare for, mitigate, respond to, and recover from various emergencies. These efforts extend beyond severe weather and include all types of incidents. Building strong relationships is central to their work, ensuring that when emergencies occur, everyone is ready to respond effectively.
Get Connected: Emergency managers are eager to collaborate with local fire departments and other agencies. To learn more about how they can support your work, reach out to your local coordinator by scanning the QR code and accessing the Coordinator Contact List below.
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AJ Seely is currently the Dallas County Emergency Management Director where he has served since 2018. AJ served as the Emergency Management and 911 Director in Chickasaw County, Iowa, between 2017 and 2018.
He holds an Associate's Degree in Fire Science and a Bachelor's Degree in Public Administration, majoring in Emergency Management. He is currently enrolled at the Naval Postgraduate School, where he is pursuing a Master's Degree in Security Studies. AJ served as the President of the Iowa Emergency Management Association (IEMA) between 2021 and 2024 and has a history of active involvement in state committees.
AJ has been involved in numerous local incidents and responsible for seven federally declared disasters since 2016 including; 2016 Flooding, 2017 Flooding, 2018 Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds and Flooding, 2019 Severe Storms and Flooding, 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020 Iowa Derecho, and 2024 Severe Storms.
AJ is recognized as a graduate of the National Emergency Management Advanced Academy, named to the IAEM-USA 2024 40 under 40 list, an Iowa Certified Emergency Manager-Advanced and a Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) by the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM).
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