Welcome
Following the impacts of Hurricane Katrina, it became apparent that even
with the extraordinary efforts of utilities, water associations, and state
regulatory agencies, the demand for resources and knowing where those
resources were available overwhelmed the ability to effectively coordinate
the initial response.
Realizing that utilities needed a different approach, the following leaders
in the water community and state agencies have joined together to create
the Georgia Water/Wastewater Agency Response Network or GaWARN.
How to Join GaWARN
If your utility hasn't filled out the membership application, click on
membership
application to register your utility as a member. For more information
please contact
info@gawarn.org.
Tutorial: 
How to use GaWARN (123KB PDF)
About GaWARN
Based on three other models, CalWARN, FlaWARN and TxWARN, GaWARN is designed
to provide a utility to utility response during an emergency.
Our mission is to support and promote statewide emergency preparedness,
disaster response, and mutual assistance matters for public and private
water and wastewater utilities for natural and man-made events.
The GaWARN Web site does this by providing its members with emergency
planning, response and recovery information before, during and after an
emergency. As the nationwide WARN system expands, it will
become easier to provide mutual aid to other states as needed.
The core of the GaWARN Web site is its emergency equipment database that
matches utility resources to a member's needs during an emergency. A member
can locate emergency equipment (pumps, generators, chlorinators, evacuators,
etc.) and trained personnel (eg. treatment plant operators) that they
may need in an emergency.
The GaWARN program provides its member utilities with:
- A standard omnibus mutual assistance agreement and process for sharing
emergency resources among members statewide.
- The resources to respond and recover more quickly from a disaster.
- A mutual assistance program consistent with other statewide mutual
aid programs.
- A forum for developing and maintaining emergency contacts and relationships.
- New ideas from lessons learned in disasters.
GaWARN Benefits
- No cost to participate
- Increased planning and coordination
- Enhance access to specialized resources
- A single agreement provide access to all member utilities statewide
- Provides insurance for access to resources during an emergency without
precontractual imitations or retainer fees
- Expedites arrival of aid
- Signators have a pre-established relationship under which they are
able to share resources during an emergency at the discretion of each
participating agency
- Is consistent with the National Incident Management System (NIMS)
- Provides a list of emergency contacts and phone numbers
- Reduces administrative conflicts
- Agreement contains indemnification and workers’ compensation
provisions to protect participating utilities, and provides for reimbursement
of costs, as needed
- Avoid federal bureaucracy
- Increases hope that recovery comes quickly
There are two sides to this Web site. The public side is open to anyone
to view. This side gives you basic information about GaWARN and how to
join.
The second side, the resource database, is only open to members who
have signed the agreement, and it is free!
Please take a moment to explore our Web site!
