From massive flooding to record breaking winter storms, Wisconsin has seen its fair share of disasters in the past year. State Senator Bob Jauch (D-Poplar) says state and local officials have responded well so far and has built an excellent reputation because of it.
Still, Jauch says there may be room for improvement. That's the focus of a special legislative panel he's in charge of, which begins meeting Wednesday. Jauch says the committee on Emergency Management and Continuity of Government will examine the statutes in place for dealing with disaster situations, in order to make sure they adequately meet the needs of the state.
The panel will hear testimony from a variety of agencies that handle emergency management. Jauch wants to address the problems government faces in preparing for any possible situation. The panel will also review programs available to help communities recover from disasters.
Recommendations from the panel could be used to craft new legislation during the session of the Legislature.