When disaster strikes, this Minnesota team of experts steps in to respond and craft an action plan

When flooding inundated the small southern Minnesota town of Jackson, city and county leaders put out a desperate plea for help. Members of the state's All Hazards Incident Management Team (AHIMT) answered the call. The little-known but vitally important team, activated when disaster strikes, helps marshal resources, draft communication strategies and formulate action plans that local officials may not be able to carry out on their own. "You usually don't have lots of sandbags lying around or pumps on hand," said Gwen Martin, a deputy commander of an AHIMT unit...