MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1999 Regular Session

To: Veterans and Military Affairs

By: Senator(s) Hamilton

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 33-15-5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO DEFINE THE TERM "DISASTER RESERVIST" IN RELATION TO THE MISSISSIPPI EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT LAW; TO AMEND SECTION 33-15-14, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE DUTIES OF THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY; TO AMEND SECTION 33-15-307, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE PURPOSES FOR WHICH THE DISASTER ASSISTANCE TRUST FUND MAY BE USED; TO AMEND SECTION 33-15-313, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT A STATE OR LOCAL AGENCY SHALL MAKE APPLICATION FOR STATE AND/OR FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE WITHIN 60 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF THE DECLARATION OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY BY THE GOVERNOR; TO AMEND SECTION 33-15-317, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE MAXIMUM LIMIT ON THE ADVANCE OF FUNDS WHICH A STATE OR LOCAL AGENCY MAY RECEIVE TO INITIATE A PROJECT; TO AMEND SECTION 43-41-13, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE AMOUNT OF STATE GRANTS AWARDED TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IN THE STATE NATURAL DISASTER PLAN; TO AMEND SECTIONS 45-18-1 AND 45-18-3, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CHANGE THE NAME OF THE "SOUTHERN REGIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COMPACT" TO THE "EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE COMPACT"; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 33-15-5, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

33-15-5. The following words, whenever used in this article shall, unless a different meaning clearly appears from the context, have the following meanings:

(a) "Agency," the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, created by Section 33-15-7.

(b) "Director," the Director of Emergency Management, appointed pursuant to Section 33-15-7.

(c) "Emergency management," means the preparation for, the mitigation of, the response to, and the recovery from emergencies and disasters. Specific emergency management responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

(i) Reduction of vulnerability of people and communities of this state to damage, injury and loss of life and property resulting from natural, technological or man-made emergencies or hostile military paramilitary action.

(ii) Preparation for prompt and efficient response and recovery to protect lives and property affected by emergencies.

(iii) Response to emergencies using all systems, plans and resources necessary to preserve adequately the health, safety and welfare of persons or property affected by the emergency.

(iv) Recovery from emergencies by providing for the rapid and orderly start of restoration and rehabilitation of persons and property affected by emergencies.

(v) Provision of an emergency management system embodying all aspects of preemergency preparedness and postemergency response, recovery and mitigation.

(vi) Assistance in anticipation, recognition, appraisal, prevention and mitigation of emergencies which may be caused or aggravated by inadequate planning for, and regulation of public and private facilities and land use.

(d) "Civil defense," whenever it appears in the laws of the State of Mississippi, shall mean "emergency management" unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

(e) "State of war emergency" means the condition which exists immediately, with or without a proclamation thereof by the Governor, whenever this state or nation is attacked by an enemy of the United States or upon receipt by the state of a warning from the federal government indicating that such an attack is probable or imminent.

(f) "State of emergency" means the duly proclaimed existence of conditions of disaster or extreme peril to the safety of persons or property within the state caused by air or water pollution, fire, flood, storm, epidemic, earthquake, resource shortages, or other natural or man-made conditions other than conditions causing a "state of war emergency," which conditions by reasons of their magnitude are or are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment and facilities of any single county and/or municipality and requires combined forces of the state to combat.

(g) "Local emergency" means the duly proclaimed existence of conditions of disaster or extreme peril to the safety of persons and property within the territorial limits of a county and/or municipality caused by such conditions as air or water pollution, fire, flood, storm, epidemic, earthquake, resource shortages or other natural or man-made conditions, which conditions are or are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment and facilities of the political subdivision and require the combined forces of other subdivisions or of the state to combat.

(h) "Emergency" means any occurrence, or threat thereof, whether natural, technological, or man-made, in war or in peace, which results or may result in substantial injury or harm to the population or substantial damage to or loss of property.

(i) "Man-made emergency" means an emergency caused by an action against persons or society, including, but not limited to, emergency attack, sabotage, terrorism, civil unrest or other action impairing the orderly administration of government.

(j) "Natural emergency" means an emergency caused by a natural event, including, but not limited to, a hurricane, a storm, a flood, severe wave action, a drought or an earthquake.

(k) "Technological emergency" means an emergency caused by a technological failure or accident, including, but not limited to, an explosion, transportation accident, radiological accident, or chemical or other hazardous material incident.

(l) "Local emergency management agency" means an organization created to discharge the emergency management responsibilities and functions of a political subdivision.

(m) "Disaster" means any natural, technological or civil emergency as defined in this section that causes damage of sufficient severity and magnitude to result in a declaration of an emergency by a county or municipality, the Governor or the President of the United States. Disasters shall be identified by the severity of resulting damage, as follows:

(i) "Catastrophic disaster" means a disaster that will require massive state and federal assistance, including immediate military involvement.

(ii) "Major disaster" means a disaster that will likely exceed local capabilities and require a broad range of state and federal assistance.

(iii) "Minor disaster" means a disaster that is likely to be within the response capabilities of local government and to result in only a minimal need for state or federal assistance.

(n) "Disaster Reservist" means any person hired on a temporary basis pursuant to State Personnel Board policies and procedures regulating personal service contracts, that is hired to perform specific tasks related to a Governor's State of Emergency, or by an emergency or disaster declaration of the President of the United States, by the agency, and is assigned to perform such duties as may be required under the direction of the appropriate agency supervisor.

SECTION 2. Section 33-15-14, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

33-15-14. (1) The agency is responsible for maintaining a comprehensive statewide program of emergency management. The agency is responsible for coordination with efforts of the federal government with other departments and agencies of state government, with county and municipal governments and school boards and with private agencies that have a role in emergency management.

(2) In performing its duties under this article, the agency shall:

(a) Work with Governor, or his representative, in preparing a state comprehensive emergency management plan of this state, which shall be integrated into and coordinated with the emergency management plans of the federal government and of other states to the fullest possible extent, and to coordinate the preparation of plans and programs for emergency management by the political subdivisions of the state, such local plans to be integrated into and coordinated with the emergency plan and program of this state. The plan must contain provisions to ensure that the state is prepared for emergencies and minor, major and catastrophic disasters, and the agency shall work closely with local governments and agencies and organizations with emergency management responsibilities in preparing and maintaining the plan. The state comprehensive emergency management plan will be operations oriented and:

(i) Include an evacuation component that includes specific regional and interregional planning provisions and promotes intergovernmental coordination of evacuation activities. This component must, at a minimum: ensure coordination pertaining to evacuees crossing county lines; set forth procedures for directing people caught on evacuation routes to safe shelter; and establish policies and strategies for emergency medical evacuations.

(ii) Include a shelter component that includes specific regional and interregional planning provisions and promotes coordination of shelter activities between the public, private and nonprofit sectors. This component must, at a minimum: contain strategies to ensure the availability of adequate public shelter space in each region of the state; establish strategies for refuge-of-last-resort programs; provide strategies to assist local emergency management efforts to ensure that adequate staffing plans exist for all shelters, including medical and security personnel; provide for a postdisaster communications system for public shelters; establish model shelter guidelines for operations, registration, inventory, power generation capability, information management and staffing; and set forth policy guidance for sheltering people with special needs.

(iii) Include a postdisaster response and recovery component that includes specific regional and interregional planning provisions and promotes intergovernmental coordination of postdisaster response and recovery activities. This component must provide for postdisaster response and recovery strategies according to whether a disaster is minor, major or catastrophic. The postdisaster response and recovery component must, at a minimum: establish the structure of the state's postdisaster response and recovery organization; establish procedures for activating the state's plan; set forth policies used to guide postdisaster response and recovery activities; describe the chain of command during the postdisaster response and recovery period; describe initial and continuous postdisaster response and recovery actions; identify the roles and responsibilities of each involved agency and organization; provide for a comprehensive communications plan; establish procedures for monitoring mutual aid agreements; provide for rapid impact assessment teams; ensure the availability of an effective statewide urban search and rescue program coordinated with the fire services; ensure the existence of a comprehensive statewide medical care and relief plan administered by the State Department of Health; and establish systems for coordinating volunteers and accepting and distributing donated funds and goods.

(iv) Include additional provisions addressing aspects of preparedness, response and recovery, as determined necessary by the agency.

(v) Address the need for coordinated and expeditious deployment of state resources, including the Mississippi National Guard. In the case of an imminent major disaster, procedures should address predeployment of the Mississippi National Guard, and, in the case of an imminent catastrophic disaster, procedures should address predeployment of the Mississippi National Guard and the United States Armed Forces. This subparagraph (v) does not authorize the agency to call out and deploy the Mississippi National Guard, which authority and determination rests solely with the Governor.

(vi) Establish a system of communications and warning to ensure that the state's population and emergency management agencies are warned of developing emergency situations and can communicate emergency response decisions.

(vii) Establish guidelines and schedules for annual exercises that evaluate the ability of the state and its political subdivisions to respond to minor, major and catastrophic disasters and support local emergency management agencies. Such exercises shall be coordinated with local governments and, to the extent possible, the federal government.

(viii) 1. Assign lead and support responsibilities to state agencies and personnel for emergency support functions and other support activities.

2. The agency shall prepare an interim postdisaster response and recovery component that substantially complies with the provisions of this paragraph (a). Each state agency assigned lead responsibility for an emergency support function by the state comprehensive emergency management plan shall also prepare a detailed operational plan needed to implement its responsibilities. The complete state comprehensive emergency management plan shall be submitted to the Governor no later than January 1, 1996, and on January 1 of every even-numbered year thereafter.

(b) Adopt standards and requirements for county emergency management plans. The standards and requirements must ensure that county plans are coordinated and consistent with the state comprehensive emergency management plan. If a municipality elects to establish an emergency management program, it must adopt a city emergency management plan that complies with all standards and requirements applicable to county emergency management plans.

(c) Assist political subdivisions in preparing and maintaining emergency management plans.

(d) Review periodically political subdivision emergency management plans for consistency with the State Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan and standards and requirements adopted under this section.

(e) Make recommendations to the Legislature, building code organizations and political subdivisions for zoning, building and other land use controls, safety measures for securing mobile homes or other nonpermanent or semipermanent structures; and other preparedness, prevention and mitigation measures designed to eliminate emergencies or reduce their impact.

(f) In accordance with the State Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan and program for emergency management, ascertain the requirements of the state and its political subdivisions for equipment and supplies of all kinds in the event of an emergency; plan for and either procure supplies, medicines, materials and equipment or enter into memoranda of agreement or open purchase orders that will ensure their availability; and use and employ from time to time any of the property, services and resources within the state in accordance with this article.

(g) Anticipate trends and promote innovations that will enhance the emergency management system.

(h) Prepare and distribute to appropriate state and local officials catalogs of federal, state and private assistance programs.

(i) Implement training programs to improve the ability of state and local emergency management personnel to prepare and implement emergency management plans and programs.

(j) Review periodically emergency operating procedures of state agencies and recommend revisions as needed to ensure consistency with the State Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan and program.

(k) Prepare, in advance whenever possible, such executive orders, proclamations and rules for issuance by the Governor as are necessary or appropriate for coping with emergencies and disasters.

(l) Cooperate with the federal government and any public or private agency or entity in achieving any purpose of this article.

(m) Assist political subdivisions with the creation and training of urban search and rescue teams and promote the development and maintenance of a state urban search and rescue program.

(n) Delegate, as necessary and appropriate, authority vested in it under this article and provide for the subdelegation of such authority.

(o) Report biennially to the Governor and the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, no later than January 1 of every odd-numbered year, the status of the emergency management capabilities of the state and its political subdivisions.

(p) In accordance with Section 25-43-1 et seq., create, implement, administer, promulgate, amend and rescind rules, programs and plans needed to carry out the provisions of this article with due consideration for, and in cooperating with, the plans and programs of the federal government.

(q) Do other things necessary, incidental or appropriate for the implementation of this article.

(r) In accordance with Section 33-15-15, create, implement, administer, promulgate, amend and rescind rules regarding the development of the Mississippi Disaster Reservist Program.

SECTION 3. Section 33-15-307, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

33-15-307. (1) The provisions of this article shall be invoked only pursuant to a state of emergency declared by the Governor or an emergency or major disaster declared by the President, or pursuant to an executive order of the Governor, or administrative order of the director, in order to provide state or local government resources and personnel in compliance with the provisions of the * * * Emergency Management Assistance Compact, Section 45-18-1 et seq, or in non-declared times for administrative and training costs associated with state disaster response and recovery programs. Each declaration shall cite the cause for the declaration and define the area eligible for assistance and the type of assistance to be provided.

(2) The Disaster Assistance Trust Fund is created as a special fund in the State Treasury into which shall be paid any funds appropriated by the Legislature for disaster assistance, any funds transferred from the Working Cash-Stabilization Reserve Fund as provided under subsection (5) of this section, any income from investment of the funds in the trust fund, and federal reimbursement for administrative costs for management of the Individual and Family Grant Program * * *, the Public Assistance Program, the Hazard Mitigation Program and Disaster Reservist Program.

(3) Income from investment of the funds in the trust fund, and all other funds deposited therein pursuant to law, shall be available for expenditure, transfer and allocation pursuant to this article.

(4) The Disaster Assistance Trust Fund shall be used only for the following purposes:

(a) The state's portion of the cost share for public assistance under a major disaster declaration.

(b) The state's cost share of the Individual and Family Grant (IFG) Program under the provisions of Section 43-41-1, et seq.

(c) Administrative costs for managing the IFG Program.

(d) Administrative costs for managing the Public Assistance Program.

(e) The temporary Housing Program under provisions of Section 43-41-301, et seq.

(f) Out-of-pocket expenses, including travel, per diem, overtime and other similar expenses, of state or local agencies when so tasked by the Governor or the director for emergency response under the provisions of Section 33-15-11(b)(7) and current executive orders. This includes actual emergency response and recovery activities, and applies to mobilization and deployment of state or local agencies to another state under the provisions of the Emergency Management Assistance Compact.

(g) Costs incurred as a result of state active duty for the Mississippi National Guard when so tasked by the Governor to provide support to other agencies and local governments in a major disaster or emergency situation, or when tasked by the Governor to provide support to another state under the provisions of the Emergency Management Assistance Compact.

(h) The state's portion of the cost share for hazard mitigation under a major disaster declaration;

(i) Administrative costs of the Hazard Mitigation Program;

(j) Costs incurred as a result of the implementation of the Disaster Reservist Program under a major disaster declaration;

(k) Administrative costs of the Disaster Reservist Program.

(l) Costs incurred as a result of the implementation of public assistance, and/or individual assistance, and/or Disaster Reservist Program, and/or hazard mitigation, and/or temporary housing under a Governor's State of Emergency.

(5) Whenever the director determines that funds are immediately needed in the Disaster Assistance Trust Fund to provide for disaster assistance under this article, he shall notify the Executive Director of the Department of Finance and Administration of his determination and shall requisition the amount of funds from the Working Cash-Stabilization Fund that are needed in the trust fund, which shall be subject to the limitations set forth below in this subsection. At the same time he makes the requisition, the director shall notify the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the respective chairmen of the Senate Appropriations Committee, the Senate Finance Committee, the House Appropriations Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee of his determination of the need for the funds and the amount that he has requisitioned. Upon receipt of such a requisition from the director, the Executive Director of the Department of Finance and Administration shall ascertain if the amount requisitioned is available in the Working Cash-Stabilization Reserve Fund and is within the limitations set forth below in this subsection and, if it is, he shall transfer that amount from the Working Cash-Stabilization Reserve Fund to the trust fund. If the amount requisitioned is more than the amount available in the Working Cash-Stabilization Fund or above the limitations set forth below in this subsection, the executive director shall transfer the amount that is available within the limitations. The maximum amount that may be transferred from the Working Cash-Stabilization Reserve Fund to the trust fund for any one (1) disaster occurrence shall be Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00) and the maximum amount that may be transferred during any fiscal year shall be One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00).

(6) Unexpended state funds in the Disaster Assistance Trust Fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not lapse into the State General Fund but shall remain in the trust fund for use under this article for as long as the funds are needed for the particular purpose for which they were appropriated or transferred into the trust fund. After any state funds in the trust fund are no longer needed for the particular purpose for which they were appropriated or transferred into the trust fund, the director may use those funds for any other purpose under this article for which they currently are needed and for which other funds are not available. If there is no current need for such funds for any purpose under this article, the funds and the income earned from the investment of the funds shall be transferred back to the particular fund or funds in the State Treasury from which they were appropriated or transferred into the trust fund, upon certification of the director to the Executive Director of the Department of Finance and Administration that the funds are not currently needed.

SECTION 4. Section 33-15-313, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

33-15-313. (1) Subject to the conditions specified in this section, the director shall allocate funds from the trust fund to meet the cost of any one or more projects. The completion of all or part of a project before application for funds under this article shall not disqualify such project or any part thereof.

(2) To be eligible for state and/or federal funding, the governing body of the local agency must declare a local emergency within ten (10) days of the disaster occurrence and forward such declaration to the Governor.

(3) A state or local agency shall make application to the director for state and/or federal financial assistance within sixty (60) days after the date of the declaration of a major disaster or emergency declared by the President or a state of emergency declared by the Governor; however, the director may extend the time for such filing, but only under unusual circumstances. No financial aid shall be provided until a state and/or federal team has first investigated and reported upon the proposed work, has estimated the cost of the work, and has filed a damage survey report thereon with the director and a project application has been prepared. The estimate of cost of the work may include expenditures made by the state or local agency for such work before the making of such estimate. "Unusual circumstances," as used in this subsection means unavoidable delays that result from recurrence of a disaster, prolonged severe weather, or other conditions beyond the control of the applicant. Delays resulting from administrative procedures are not unusual circumstances that warrant extensions of time.

(4) No funds shall be allocated from the trust fund to a state or local agency until the agency has indicated in writing its acceptance of the project application and the cost-sharing related thereto in such form as the director prescribes. The project application shall provide for the performance of the work by the state or local agency, shall provide for the methods of handling the funds allocated and the matching funds provided by the local agency, and shall contain such other provisions as are deemed necessary to ensure completion of the work included in the project application and the proper expenditures of funds as provided herein.

SECTION 5. Section 33-15-317, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

33-15-317. (1) Under procedures prescribed by the director, a state or local agency may receive an advance of funds to initiate a project. Such advances shall be limited to not more then seventy-five percent (75%) of the estimated federal share of the project, or fifty percent (50%) of the estimated share of the project under the Governor's State of Emergency.

(2) Disaster assistance funds provided from federal sources under the provisions of PL 93-288 as amended by PL 100-707 shall be deposited in the trust fund, and the director shall make advances or reimbursement therefrom for expenditures for eligible work or for payment for performance.

(3) State and federal contributions for the repair and restoration of facilities shall be reduced by an amount equal to the insurance settlement received or an amount equal to the amount the local agency would have recovered from an insurance settlement if necessary, adequate and reasonably available insurance had been maintained.

SECTION 6. Section 43-41-13, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

43-41-13. (1) The state grant under this article shall be equal to twenty-five percent (25%) of the actual cost of meeting necessary expenses or serious needs, plus state administrative expenses in excess of five percent (5%) of the total federal grant, and shall be made only on the condition that the remaining seventy-five percent (75%) of the grant, plus five percent (5%) administrative cost, is provided by the federal government, or in an amount established by the director in the event of a Governor's State of Emergency declaration.

(2) An individual or family shall not receive a grant or grants under the provisions of this article aggregating more than the amount specified annually by the federal Emergency Management Agency and published in the Federal Register with respect to any one (1) major disaster declared by the President, or when specified by the Governor's State of Emergency. Such aggregate amount shall include both state and federal share of the grant.

SECTION 8. Section 45-18-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

45-18-3. The Legislature of the State of Mississippi hereby authorizes the Governor of the State of Mississippi to enter into a compact on behalf of the State of Mississippi with any other state legally joining therein, in the form substantially as follows:

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE COMPACT

ARTICLE I -- PURPOSE AND AUTHORITIES

This compact is made and entered into by and between the participating member states which enact this compact, hereinafter called party states. For the purposes of this agreement, the term "states" is taken to mean the several states, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, and all United States territorial possessions.

The purpose of this compact is to provide for mutual assistance between the states entering into this compact in managing any emergency or disaster that is duly declared by the governor of the affected state(s), whether arising from natural disaster, technological hazard, man-made disaster, civil emergency aspects of resources shortages, community disorders, insurgency, or enemy attack.

This compact shall also provide for mutual cooperation in emergency-related exercises, testing, or other training activities using equipment and personnel simulating performance of any aspect of the giving and receiving of aid by party states or subdivisions of party states during emergencies, such actions occurring outside actual declared emergency periods. Mutual assistance in this compact may include the use of the states' National Guard forces, either in accordance with the National Guard Mutual Assistance Compact or by mutual agreement between states.

ARTICLE II -- GENERAL IMPLEMENTATION

Each party state entering into this compact recognizes many emergencies transcend political jurisdictional boundaries and that intergovernmental coordination is essential in managing these and other emergencies under this compact. Each state further recognizes that there will be emergencies which require immediate access and present procedures to apply outside resources to make a prompt and effective response to such an emergency. This is because few, if any, individual states have all the resources they may need in all types of emergencies or the capability of delivering resources to areas where emergencies exist.

The prompt, full and effective utilization of resources of the participating states, including any resources on hand or available from the federal government or any other source, that are essential for the safety, care and welfare of the people in the event of any emergency or disaster declared by a party state, shall be the underlying principle on which all articles of this compact shall be understood.

On behalf of the governor of each state participating in the compact, the legally designated state official who is assigned responsibility for emergency management will be responsible for formulation of the appropriate interstate mutual aid plans and procedures necessary to implement this compact.

ARTICLE III -- PARTY STATE RESPONSIBILITIES

A. It shall be the responsibility of each party state to formulate procedural plans and programs for interstate cooperation in the performance of the responsibilities listed in this article. In formulating such plans, and in carrying them out, the party states, insofar as practical, shall:

i. Review individual state hazards analyses and, to the extent reasonably possible, determine all those potential emergencies the party states might jointly suffer, whether due to natural disaster, technological hazard, man-made disaster, emergency aspects of resource shortages, civil disorders, insurgency, or enemy attack.

ii. Review party states' individual emergency plans and develop a plan which will determine the mechanism for the interstate management and provision of assistance concerning any potential emergency.

iii. Develop interstate procedures to fill any identified gaps and to resolve any identified inconsistencies or overlaps in existing or developed plans.

iv. Assist in warning communities adjacent to or crossing the state boundaries.

v. Protect and assure uninterrupted delivery of services, medicines, water, food, energy and fuel, search and rescue, and critical lifeline equipment, services and resources, both human and material.

vi. Inventory and set procedures for the interstate loan and delivery of human and material resources, together with procedures for reimbursement or forgiveness.

vii. Provide, to the extent authorized by law, for temporary suspension of any statutes or ordinances that restrict the implementation of the above responsibilities.

B. The authorized representative of a party state may request assistance of another party state by contacting the authorized representative of that state. The provisions of this agreement shall only apply to requests for assistance made by and to authorized representatives. Requests may be verbal or in writing. If verbal, the request shall be confirmed in writing within thirty (30) days of the verbal request. Requests shall provide the following information:

i. A description of the emergency service function for which assistance is needed, such as, but not limited to, fire services, law enforcement, emergency medical, transportation, communications, public works and engineering, building inspection, planning and information assistance, mass care, resource support, health and medical services, and search and rescue.

ii. The amount and type of personnel, equipment, materials and supplies needed, and a reasonable estimate of the length of time they will be needed.

iii. The specific place and time for staging of the assisting party's response and a point of contact at that location.

C. There shall be frequent consultation between state officials who have assigned emergency management responsibilities and other appropriate representatives of the party states with affected jurisdictions and the United States Government, with free exchange of information, plans and resource records relating to emergency capabilities.

ARTICLE IV -- LIMITATIONS

Any party state requested to render mutual aid or conduct exercises and training for mutual aid shall take such action as is necessary to provide and make available the resources covered by this compact in accordance with the terms hereof; provided that it is understood that the state rendering aid may withhold resources to the extent necessary to provide reasonable protection for such state. Each party state shall afford to the emergency forces of any party state, while operating within its state limits under the terms and conditions of this compact, the same powers (except that of arrest unless specifically authorized by the receiving state), duties, rights and privileges as are afforded forces of the state in which they are performing emergency services. Emergency forces will continue under the command and control of their regular leaders, but the organizational units will come under the operational control of the emergency services authorities of the state receiving assistance. These conditions may be activated, as needed, only subsequent to a declaration of a state of emergency or disaster by the Governor of the party state that is to receive assistance or commencement of exercises or training for mutual aid and shall continue so long as the exercises or training for mutual aid are in progress, the state of emergency or disaster remains in effect or loaned resources remain in the receiving state(s), whichever is longer.

ARTICLE V -- LICENSES AND PERMITS

Whenever any person holds a license, certificate or other permit issued by any party state to the compact evidencing the meeting of qualifications for professional, mechanical or other skills, and when such assistance is requested by the receiving party state, such person shall be deemed licensed, certified or permitted by the state requesting assistance to render aid involving such skill to meet a declared emergency or disaster, subject to such limitations and conditions as the Governor of the requesting state may prescribe by executive order or otherwise.

ARTICLE VI -- LIABILITY

Officers or employees of a party state rendering aid in another state pursuant to this compact shall be considered agents of the requesting state for tort liability and immunity purposes; and no party state or its officers or employees rendering aid in another state pursuant to this compact shall be liable on account of any act or omission in good faith on the part of such forces while so engaged or on account of the maintenance or use of any equipment or supplies in connection therewith. Good faith in this article shall not include willful misconduct, gross negligence or recklessness.

ARTICLE VII -- SUPPLEMENTARY AGREEMENTS

Inasmuch as it is probable that the pattern and detail of the machinery for mutual aid among two (2) or more states may differ from that among the states that are party hereto, this instrument contains elements of a broad base common to all states, and nothing herein contained shall preclude any state from entering into supplementary agreements with another state or affect any other agreements already in force between states. Supplementary agreements may comprehend, but shall not be limited to, provisions for evacuation and reception of injured and other persons and the exchange of medical, fire, police, public utility, reconnaissance, welfare, transportation and communications personnel and equipment and supplies.

ARTICLE VIII -- COMPENSATION

Each party state shall provide for the payment of compensation and death benefits to injured members of the emergency forces of that state and representatives of deceased members of such forces in case such members sustain injuries or are killed while rendering aid pursuant to this compact, in the same manner and on the same terms as if the injury or death were sustained within their own state.

ARTICLE IX -- REIMBURSEMENT

Any party state rendering aid in another state pursuant to this compact shall be reimbursed by the party state receiving such aid for any loss or damage to or expense incurred in the operation of any equipment and the provision of any service in answering a request for aid and for the costs incurred in connection with such requests; provided, that any aiding party state may assume in whole or in part such loss, damage, expense or other cost, or may loan such equipment or donate such services to the receiving party state without charge or cost; and provided further, that any two (2) or more party states may enter into supplementary agreements establishing a different allocation of costs among those states. Article VIII expenses shall not be reimbursable under this provision.

ARTICLE X -- EVACUATION

Plans for the orderly evacuation and interstate reception of portions of the civilian population as the result of any emergency or disaster of sufficient proportions to so warrant, shall be worked out and maintained between the party states and the emergency management/services directors of the various jurisdictions where any type of incident requiring evacuations might occur. Such plans shall be put into effect by request of the state from which evacuees come and shall include the manner of transporting such evacuees, the number of evacuees to be received in different areas, the manner in which food, clothing, housing and medical care will be provided, the registration of the evacuees, the providing of facilities for the notification of relatives or friends, and the forwarding of such evacuees to other areas or the bringing in of additional materials, supplies and all other relevant factors. Such plans shall provide that the party state receiving evacuees and the party state from which the evacuees come shall mutually agree as to reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses incurred in receiving and caring for such evacuees, for expenditures for transportation, food, clothing, medicines and medical care and like items. Such expenditures shall be reimbursed as agreed by the party state from which the evacuees come. After the termination of the emergency or disaster, the party state from which the evacuees come shall assume the responsibility for the ultimate support of repatriation of such evacuees.

ARTICLE XI -- IMPLEMENTATION

A. This compact shall become operative immediately upon its enactment into law by any two (2) states; thereafter, this compact shall become effective as to any other state upon its enactment by such state.

B. Any party state may withdraw from this compact by enacting a statute repealing the same, but no such withdrawal shall take effect until thirty (30) days after the governor of the withdrawing state has given notice in writing of such withdrawal to the governors of all other party states. Such action shall not relieve the withdrawing state from obligations assumed hereunder prior to the effective date of withdrawal.

C. Duly authenticated copies of this compact and of such supplementary agreements as may be entered into shall, at the time of their approval, be deposited with each of the party states and with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other appropriate agencies of the United States Government.

ARTICLE XII - VALIDITY

This compact shall be construed to effectuate the purposes stated in Article I hereof. If any provision of this compact is declared unconstitutional, or the applicability thereof to any person or circumstances is held invalid, the constitutionality of the remainder of this act and the applicability thereof to other persons and circumstances shall not be affected thereby.

ARTICLE XIII -- ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS

Nothing in this compact shall authorize or permit the use of military force by the National Guard of a state at any place outside that state in any emergency for which the President is authorized by law to call into federal service the militia, or for any purpose for which the use of the Army or the Air Force would in the absence of express statutory authorization be prohibited under Section 1385 of Title 18, United States Code.

SECTION 9. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 1999.