Brief Description: Creating a building mapping information system.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Judiciary (originally sponsored by Senators Brandland, Kline, Roach, Kastama, Rasmussen, Johnson, Esser, McCaslin, Schmidt and Winsley).

Hearing Date: 3/25/03

Staff: Anne Warwick (786-7291).

Background:

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

•    floor plans

•    fire protection information

•    evacuation plans

•    utility information

•    known hazards; and

•    other important information to emergency personal responding to the disaster or emergency

The maps are designed to give the emergency responder as much information about the physical structure of the building as possible, without actually being inside the building. Mapping information is located in a centralized database that can be made available to emergency response agencies equipped with portable computers.

Summary of Bill:

The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) will create and operate a statewide first responder building mapping information system (mapping system). All state and local government owned buildings will be mapped by WASPC or another source, contingent on funding. Once the buildings are mapped they will forward their mapping information data to WASPC. All participating non-government owned buildings may voluntarily forward their mapping and emergency data to WASPC. Building mapping information will be made available to all state, local, federal, and tribal law enforcement agencies, along with the Military Department and fire departments. The WASPC will develop mapping software standards that must be met in order to participate in the mapping system.

Building Mapping Specification

Consulting with the state Emergency Management Office, the Information Board Services, the Washington State Fire Chief's Association, and the Washington State Patrol, WASPC will head a committee to establish statewide first responder building mapping software. The committee will develop the type of information included in the mapping system, and set standards that must be utilized by all entities participating. The committee will determine the order in which buildings are mapped and develop guidelines on how the information will be transmitted to the first responders. Lastly, the committee will recommend training guidelines to the Criminal Justice Training Commission and the Office of the State Fire Marshall within the Washington State Patrol.

Funding

No state agency or local government is required to map a building unless the entire cost of mapping the building is provided by WASPC or from other sources. The WASPC will pursue federal funds and develop grants to create the mapping system.

Units of local government and their employees are immune from civil liability for damages arising out of the creation or use of building mapping information, unless they acted with gross negligence or bad faith. Information from a first responder building mapping system is exempt from public inspection and copying.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available on HB ESHB 1218. Fiscal note for ESSB 5269 requested on March 19, 2003.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.