Brief Description: Expanding the statewide first responder building mapping information system to higher education facilities.

Sponsors: By House Committee on Capital Budget (originally sponsored by Representatives O'Brien, Ormsby, Hurst, Goodman, VanDeWege, Liias, Barlow, Green, Kelley, Warnick and Simpson).

House Committee on Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness
House Committee on Capital Budget
Senate Committee on Higher Education
Senate Committee on Ways & Means

Background:

Building mapping provides electronic pre-incident plans of a building. Each map is a blueprint describing every room located in the building, along with its dimensions. A building map information can include:

• floor plans;
• fire protection information;
• evacuation plans;
• utility information;
• known hazards; and
• other information important to emergency personnel responding to a disaster or emergency.

The maps are designed to give the emergency responder as much information about the physical structure of the building as possible. The maps are saved in a centralized database that can be made available to emergency response agencies equipped with portable computers.

In 2001 the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) received federal funding for a pilot program to create critical incident mapping in public schools in eight counties. A cooperative partnership was established between the WASPC, the Association of Washington School Principals, and the Washington State Association of Fire Chiefs. Funding was provided by the year 2003, and the Legislature extended this system to every high school in the state. By the end of 2007 all public schools in Washington were mapped.

In 2003 the WASPC was directed by law to create and operate a Statewide First Responder Agency Building Mapping Information System. All state and local government-owned buildings were to be mapped by the WASPC or another source, contingent on funding. Once the buildings were mapped, the mapping information data was forwarded to the WASPC. All participating owners of non-government buildings were authorized to voluntarily forward their mapping and emergency data to the WASPC.

All building mapping information is available to all state, local, federal, and tribal law enforcement agencies, along with the Military Department and fire departments.

Summary:

The Washington State Patrol (WSP) and the WASPC, in consultation with the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, the Council of Presidents, the Independent Colleges of Washington, and the Department of Information Services must complete a needs analysis and fiscal impact study.

The study must include the following:

• an assessment of all public and independent colleges and universities to determine whether campus emergency and critical incident plans are up-to-date, comprehensive, and regularly exercised;
• an evaluation of the potential risks associated with individual types of buildings on all campuses and recommended buildings that are a high priority for addition to the Statewide First Responder Building Mapping Information System;
• a financial analysis and timelines associated with adding priority campus buildings to the Statewide First Responder Building Mapping Information System; and
• an assessment of campus emergency notification systems or devices, including emergency radio systems, to determine functionality in the campus environment, the adequacy of coverage throughout a campus, and operational compatibility with the radio systems and frequencies utilized by state and local responding agencies.

The WASPC must report its findings to the Governor and the Legislature by November 1, 2008.

Votes on Final Passage:

House   94   0
Senate   46   0   (Senate amended)
House   97   0   (House concurred)

Effective: June 12, 2008