Emergency Response

The Field Services Emergency Response (ER) offers planning roles and services within our agency, including: 

• Serving as the department's homeland security point of contact for planning,
• Serving on a variety of state, regional, and federal disaster planning and regulatory groups,
• Providing technical support to rule making committees in the department and other state and federal agencies,
• Providing technical support to local government entities, public groups, and commercial and industrial parties,
• Disaster planning and support, Sub-area Contingency Planning support, and State Hazard Mitigation planning for the department, and
• Emergency Planning Community Right to Know Act reporting activities and support and support to the State Emergency Response Commission and Local Emergency Planning Committees.

Field Office Support

The DNR relies on interested and concerned individuals to report conditions that might be a threat to the public or environment. Environmental complaint investigations are a part of each field inspector’s job and staff respond to many complaints each year. Learn more about how to report a spillor call the 24 Hour Environmental Reporting Hotline: 515-725-8694.

When to Call

• Fish kill – Report as soon as possible including numbers, sizes and species involved
• Chemical spills - Note location, date and time and party responsible, if known
• Strange color or odor in stream or river - Report as soon as possible with a description. Note if aquatic life or fish seem stressed or are dead
• Improper disposal of hazardous substances - Note if drums, cans or plastic buckets, etc. are present
• Open dumping
• Open burning