14928 Public Safety Way
Dubuque, IA 52002-8216
Phone: 563-589-4170
Fax: 563-589-0015
E-Mail: tom.berger@dbqcoema.com
Thomas I. Berger, Coordinator
Mike Wuertzer, Chairperson
Dan Neenan, Vice-Chairperson
Date: October 22, 2026
To: Dubuque County Board of Supervisors
From: Thomas I. Berger, Emergency Management Coordinator
RE: Data Center Ordinance Development
In your process of creating an ordinance for Data Centers, I would like you to consider the following as it relates to emergency management. The core focus of emergency management is related to planning, training, exercises, equipment and organization.
Things to consider are as follows:
Planning
- Include the fire chief having jurisdiction of the project early in the process. They are the best person to know the response capabilities of their department as well as their mutual aid partners.
- Tier 2 reporting of onsite hazardous materials to the local fire department and local emergency planning committee as required by state and federal law. This report identifies chemicals and hazards on site and is required annually for updated quantities.
- Access locations should be readily marked and familiar with responding agencies.
- An emergency response plan should be developed and shared with local fire, law enforcement, public health, emergency medical services and emergency management ensuring all agencies are on the same page for response. The plan shall include specific response actions needed to match the hazards in the facility (i.e. battery storage). The plan should also include severe weather sheltering and evacuation plans. Ingress and egress routes for emergency vehicles should be shared and identified in the plans.
- Response plans shall be reviewed with company representatives and emergency response agencies at least annually.
Training
Training should be offered to the emergency responders as to the on-site hazards as well as any specific training needs due to the uniqueness of the operations. This could include