City Council:
AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR
TO ENTER INTO A MEMORANDUM OF
AGREEMENT WITH THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT AGENCY (FEMA) INTEGRATED
PUBLIC ALERT AND WARNING SYSTEM (IPAWS)
Whereas, in correspondence dated March 11, 2026, the Director of the Office of Emergency Management formally requested authorization for the Mayor to execute a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the City of Mount Vernon Office of Emergency Management and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) Program Management Office for participation in the IPAWS program; and
Whereas, the City of Mount Vernon is committed to protecting the health, safety, and welfare of its residents, businesses, and visitors during emergency situations; and
Whereas, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) administers the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS), the nation’s official system for disseminating critical public alerts and warnings through multiple communication platforms; and
Whereas, the IPAWS system enables local governments and authorized emergency management agencies to deliver life-safety alerts through several nationwide communication channels including Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) to mobile devices, the Emergency Alert System (EAS) through television and radio broadcasts, and NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards; and
Whereas, the City of Mount Vernon Office of Emergency Management seeks authorization to integrate the City’s existing interoperable emergency notification systems with FEMA’s IPAWS Open Platform for Emergency Networks (IPAWS-OPEN) in order to deliver timely, accurate, and coordinated emergency alerts to the public; and
Whereas, participation in the IPAWS program will allow authorized personnel within the City of Mount Vernon Office of Emergency Management to issue alerts during emergencies including severe weather events, public safety incidents, evacuations, public health emergencies, and other life-threatening situations; and
Whereas, the proposed Memorandum of Agreement between the City of Mount Vernon and the FEMA IPAWS Program Management Office authorizes the City to access and utilize the IPAWS-OPEN system for official emergency alerting purposes; and
Whereas, there is no financial cost to the City of Mount Vernon associated with entering into this Memorandum of Agreement, as FEMA is responsible for the development, operation, and maintenance of the IPAWS-OPEN infrastructure, while the City will maintain its existing local systems and internet connectivity required to access the platform; and
Whereas, the Memorandum of Agreement has been reviewed by the Commissioner of Management Services and the City Law Department, both of which have determined that the agreement is appropriate for execution and consistent with the City’s operational and legal requirements; and
Whereas, the City Council finds that participation in the FEMA IPAWS program will significantly enhance the City’s ability to communicate life-saving information quickly and effectively to the public during emergencies and will strengthen coordination with federal, state, and regional emergency management agencies.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MOUNT VERNON AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Authorization to Execute Agreement. The Mayor of the City of Mount Vernon is hereby authorized and directed to execute a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the City of Mount Vernon Office of Emergency Management and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) Program Management Office for participation in the IPAWS program.
Section 2. Program Participation. The City of Mount Vernon Office of Emergency Management is hereby authorized to utilize the FEMA IPAWS-OPEN platform in conjunction with the City’s existing interoperable emergency notification systems to issue authorized emergency alerts and warnings to the public during emergency situations.
Section 3. Operational Responsibilities. The City of Mount Vernon Office of Emergency Management shall ensure that authorized personnel are properly trained and certified to access and utilize the IPAWS system and shall maintain the City’s local interoperable communication systems and connectivity necessary for participation in the program.
Section 4. Cost Impact. There shall be no direct financial cost to the City of Mount Vernon associated with this Memorandum of Agreement. FEMA shall remain responsible for the development, operation, and maintenance of the IPAWS-OPEN system.
Section 5. Severability. If any clause, sentence, paragraph, or section of this Ordinance shall be adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such judgment shall not affect, impair, or invalidate the remainder thereof but shall be confined in its operation to the clause, sentence, paragraph, or section directly involved in the controversy.
Section 6. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall take effect immediately upon adoption by the City Council and subsequent approval by the Board of Estimate and Contract.