ST. PAUL, MN - Governor Tim Walz today announced that eight Minnesota members of the Minnesota All Hazards Incident Management Team (MN-AHIMT) are traveling to Iowa to assist local first responders as communities begin recovering from tornadoes that tore through the Greenfield area. Governor Walz authorized the 14-day mission following a request from Iowa officials through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC).

“In Minnesota we’re no strangers to the devastation of tornadoes. We know the heartbreak that accompanies the loss of homes and businesses and the necessity of working together to rebuild,” said Governor Walz. “In the wake of this storm, we are stepping up to support our neighbors . My heart goes out to the community of Greenfield as they recover.”

MN-AHIMT members are highly trained and skilled public safety professionals who serve in a variety of disciplines. Upon arriving in Iowa, the emergency managers, firefighters, medical, law enforcement, and public works experts will support field operations and support with volunteer management, debris management, and the disaster declaration process.

In 2022, the MN-AHIMT deployed to DeSoto County, Florida to assist with Hurricane Ian recovery efforts. EMAC is a mutual aid agreement between all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands. A requesting state asks for resources based on their needs and while any state can respond, there is no obligation to participate.

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) division coordinates the state’s EMAC requests. Additional information about EMAC is available here .