While no one wants to respond to an environmental emergency, planning for one can make it easier to deal with. Adam Broughton, the Iowa DNR’s emergency response coordinator, says “Along with all your other New Year’s resolutions, updating your emergency action plan could be one of the most important. If you’ve ever had a spill, a wastewater discharge, a fish kill or problems with drinking water, you know how important it is to check that the plan is current.

Make sure you’ve updated the DNR’s environmental emergency number, too, since it changed to 515-725-8694 last July. First responders, industries, businesses, cities and livestock producers – are among those who might need to report an environmental emergency.

Find out more about who should use the emergency number and when to use it at www.iowadnr.gov/spills/. Look for the Environmental Hotline Reporting Guide in the table at the bottom of the page.