MICHIGAN
Local government officials are forming their own rescue team to save their computer systems in the event of a catastrophe.
East Lansing City Council voted at its work session Tuesday to approve a formalized relationship between local jurisdictions to share technology resources during disasters.
The Mid-Michigan Information Technology Mutual Aid Agreement allows cities to share telephones, hardware, software, employees or facilities if a disaster situation were to harm a municipality's computer system, said Alan McCarrick, East Lansing Information Systems Administrator.
"The goal is to help keep everybody up and running," he said.
An informal collaboration between Lansing, Meridian Township and Ingham, Clinton and Eaton counties has existed for years, but the formal agreement is intended to inform the public and officials of their continuing discussion.
Meridian Township and Ingham County officials also approved the aid agreement, McCarrick said.
Although the agreement refers mainly to disaster planning, McCarrick said there are day-to-day situations where the sharing of resources come in to play.