Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research | BILL ANALYSIS |
Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness Committee |
HB 2625
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: Addressing the mobilization of all risk resources during an emergency.
Sponsors: Representatives Hurst, Pearson and Moscoso.
Brief Summary of Bill |
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Hearing Date: 2/8/12
Staff: Yvonne Walker (786-7841).
Background:
State fire service mobilization exists to provide policy and organization structure for mobilizing firefighting resources due to the following: (1) the occurrence of a possible disastrous fire or other disaster of unprecedented size and destructiveness; (2) the need to insure that the state is adequately prepared to respond to a fire or disaster; (3) the need 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 the resources of the fire district; and (4) to protect the public peace, health, safety, lives, and property of the people of Washington.
"Mobilization" means that firefighting resources beyond those available through existing agreements will be requested and, when available, 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 assignment in communities where firefighting resources are needed.
When mobilization is declared, all firefighting resources including those of the host fire protection authorities are deemed as mobilized, including those that responded earlier under an existing mutual aid or other agreement. All nonhost fire protection authorities providing firefighting resources in response to a mobilization declaration are eligible for expense reimbursement from the time of the mobilization declaration.
"Jurisdiction" means state, county, city, fire district, or port district firefighting units, or other specified units.
Summary of Bill:
For the purpose of fire service mobilization, the definition of "mobilization" is expanded to include all risk resources regularly provided by fire departments, fire districts, and regional fire authorities. When a mobilization is declared and authorized, all resources including those of the host fire protection authorities are deemed mobilized. "All risk resources" means those resources required to respond to incidents such as, but not limited to, wild land fires, earthquakes, floods, rescues, and contagious diseases.
"Jurisdiction" is expanded to include regional fire protection authority units.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Requested on February 1, 2012.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.