H-2135.1 _______________________________________________
SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1917
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State of Washington 54th Legislature 1995 Regular Session
By House Committee on Natural Resources (originally sponsored by Representatives Pennington, Fuhrman, Thompson, Goldsmith, McMorris and Kremen)
Read first time 02/27/95.
AN ACT Relating to emergency response services; amending RCW 76.04.145; adding new sections to chapter 76.04 RCW; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that it is frequently in the best interest of the state to utilize fire suppression equipment from private vendors whenever possible in responding to incidents involving wildfires on department-protected lands. It is the intent of the legislature to encourage the department of natural resources to utilize kitchen, shower, and other fire suppression equipment from private vendors as allowed in RCW 76.04.015(4)(b), when such utilization will be most effective and efficient.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 76.04 RCW to read as follows:
(1) The department shall, by June 1 of each year, establish a list of fire suppression equipment, such as portable showers, kitchens, water tanks, dozers, and hauling equipment, provided by the department so that the cost by unit or category can be determined and can be compared to the expense of utilizing private vendors.
(2) The department shall establish a roster of quotes by vendors who are able to provide equipment to respond to incidents involving wildfires on department-protected lands. The department shall use these quotes from private vendors to make a comparison with the costs established in subsection (1) of this section. The department shall utilize the most effective and efficient resource available for responding to wildfires.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 76.04 RCW to read as follows:
Before constructing or purchasing any equipment listed in section 2(1) of this act for wildfire suppression, the department shall compare the per use cost of the equipment to be purchased or constructed with the per use cost of utilizing private equipment. If utilizing private equipment is more effective and efficient, the department may not construct or purchase the equipment but shall utilize the equipment from the lowest responsive bidder.
Sec. 4. RCW 76.04.145 and 1986 c 100 s 15 are each amended to read as follows:
(1)
There is hereby created a forest fire advisory board, consisting of ((seven))
eight members who shall represent private and public forest landowners,
private contractors of fire suppression equipment, supplies, and services,
and other interested segments of the public. The members shall be appointed by
the commissioner of public lands and shall serve at the commissioner's
pleasure, without compensation.
(2) The duties of the forest fire advisory board shall be strictly advisory and shall include, but not necessarily be limited to:
(a) Reviewing forest fire prevention and suppression policies of the department;
(b) Monitoring expenditures from and recoveries for the landowner contingency forest fire suppression account;
(c) Recommending appropriate assessments and allocations for establishment and replenishment of the account based upon the proportionate expenditures necessitated by participating landowner operations in western and eastern Washington;
(d) Recommending to the department appropriate rules or amendments to existing rules and reviewing nonemergency rules affecting the protection of forest lands from fire, including reasonable alternative means or procedures for the abatement, isolation, or reduction of forest fire hazards.
(3) Except where an emergency exists, all rules concerning matters listed in subsection (2)(d) of this section shall be adopted by the department after consultation with the forest fire advisory board.
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