In every corner of the Hoosier State, from Lake and Steuben County to Switzerland and Posey County – and everywhere else in between – County Emergency Management Agencies (EMAs) provide a vital public service.

In doing so, these agencies work with other public safety partners and organizations to prepare for, mitigate, respond to and (help all of us) recover from emergencies. In doing so, they skillfully utilize every available resource to handle every threat, be it a natural or man-made disaster, or a cyber incident or cyberattack.

To celebrate their dedication and service to our communities, Gov. Mike Braun recently issued a proclamation declaring EMA Appreciation Week as Aug. 17-23, 2025. Led by Public Safety Secretary and IDHS Executive Director Jennifer-Ruth Green, the Indiana Department of Homeland Security recognizes the efforts and accomplishments of all emergency managers statewide and invites Hoosiers to join in honoring them during EMA Appreciation Week.

In addition to the work we might see as part of an urgent call, emergency managers help create disaster response plans, organize training that includes first responders and other community partners to practice response plans. They also draft preparedness plans that are designed to help minimize the impact of disasters, and they work with state and federal agencies on assistive programs to find the most effective methods of disaster recovery.

To get the job done, a wealth of free-to-download emergency response and recovery resources are available on the Indiana Cyber Hub website, including the Indiana Emergency Manager Cybersecurity Toolkit 2.0.

First introduced as a first-of-its-kind resource in 2019, the toolkit is updated with newly released information, best practices, detailed plan templates and more. It is an ideal tool for helping an emergency manager to begin conversations with their local partners, as simply and directly as the complexity of the effort allows.

Included in the toolkit is the Emergency Manager Cyber Situational Awareness Survey. Developed by the Indiana Executive Council on Cybersecurity (IECC), National Governors Association (NGA), Cybersecurity Academy participants, and Indiana State University, it is intended to assist local government emergency managers who want to better assess the areas within their purview while developing and exercising their cyber emergency incident response and continuity of operations plans.

In addition to a cybersecurity training and exercise guide, the Toolkit also features four different professionally designed templates that a local municipality, such as a city or county, can download to use for free to develop a cybersecurity incident response plan.

Additionally, the Indiana Cyber Emergency Resiliency and Response State Guide was created to communicate the roles of an effective emergency response to a cyber emergency from the Executive Branch of Indiana government and indicate what roles partners may have during a cyberattack.

As it’s often said, the frequency and sophistication of cyberattacks continues to increase. As it does, the role of an emergency manager and the agencies they oversee is more important than ever.

All the more reason is that we express our appreciation for their service and dedication. At the same time, it’s reassuring to know that there are free resources, such as the EMA Cybersecurity Toolkit 2.0, that are available here in Indiana and that it can be used as a tool to add to our preparedness with a plan before something bad happens, or if it does, we’ll be able to recover in a way that’s safe and secure.

To learn more about how Indiana is showing its celebrating EMA Appreciation Week, be sure to visit the IDHS website, including information on how EMA staff members work daily to plan, train, and practice responding to emergency situations, and what they’re doing to assist other first responders to prepare and respond to emergencies regularly. There is also a 2025 Spotlight, featuring video interviews from emergency managers from across the state, as well as some links with ideas on how you can share your thanks for those who serve your community.