S-1461.3 _______________________________________________
SENATE BILL 5926
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State of Washington 54th Legislature 1995 Regular Session
By Senators Owen, McDonald, Finkbeiner, West and A. Anderson
Read first time 02/15/95. Referred to Committee on Natural Resources.
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 in the best interest of the state to lease fire suppression equipment, supplies, and services from private contractors whenever possible in responding to incidents involving wildfires on public lands. It is the intent of the legislature to encourage the department of natural resources to lease kitchen, shower, and other fire suppression equipment, supplies, and services from private contractors whenever possible as allowed in RCW 76.04.015(4)(b).
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 76.04 RCW to read as follows:
(1) The department shall, by July 1, 1995, establish a list of fire suppression equipment, supplies, and services provided by the department so that the cost by unit or category can be determined and can be compared to the expense of leasing comparable equipment, supplies, and services from private contractors.
(2) The department shall establish a roster of contractors willing and able to provide equipment, supplies, and services for emergency services as needed for emergency response by the department.
(3) The department shall establish specifications and a procedure for soliciting bids on costs of leasing fire suppression equipment, supplies, and services from private contractors for comparison with the costs established in subsection (1) of this section.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 76.04 RCW to read as follows:
Before constructing or purchasing any equipment for emergency services, the department shall compare the per use cost of the equipment to be purchased or constructed with the per use cost of leasing the equipment. If leasing the equipment is more cost- efficient, the department may not construct or purchase the equipment but shall lease the equipment from the lowest responsive bidder on the roster.
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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