Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research | BILL ANALYSIS |
Public Safety Committee |
HB 1126
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent. |
Brief Description: Concerning state fire service mobilization.
Sponsors: Representatives Goodman, Klippert, Hurst, Van De Wege, Warnick, Ryu and Smith.
Brief Summary of Bill |
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Hearing Date: 1/24/13
Staff: Yvonne Walker (786-7841).
Background:
The State Fire Marshal serves as the state fire resources coordinator when a Washington fire services mobilization plan is mobilized.
State fire mobilization plans are needed:
because of the possibility of the occurrence of disastrous fires or other disasters of unprecedented size and destructiveness;
to insure that the state is adequately prepared to respond to such a fire or disaster;
to provide for redistribution of personnel, equipment, and other logistical resources from around the state when a wildland fire or other emergency exceeds the firefighting capacity of local jurisdictions;
to establish a mechanism and a procedure to provide for reimbursement to state agencies and local agencies that respond to help others in time of need or to a host fire district that experiences expenses beyond their allocated available resources in that district; and
to protect the public peace, health, safety, lives, and property of the people of Washington.
A fire service "mobilization" is defined as those resources requested beyond those available through existing agreements and when available, those resources are sent in response to an emergency or disaster situation that has exceeded the capabilities of available local resources. During a large scale emergency, mobilization includes the redistribution of regional or statewide firefighting resources to either direct emergency incident assignments or to assignments in communities where firefighting resources are needed.
Summary of Bill:
Mobilization is redefined and expanded to include "all risk resources" regularly provided by fire departments, fire districts and regional fire protection authorities.
"All risk resources" includes those resources, regularly provided by fire departments and other entities that are required to respond to incidents, including: wildland fires, earthquakes, floods, contagious diseases, and other technical rescues that have aspects of saving life or property and employ the use of tools and skills that exceed those normally reserved for firefighting and medical emergency. These disciplines include rope rescue, swift water rescue, confined space rescue, ski rescue, cave rescue, trench or excavation rescue, and building collapse rescue.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.