Oklahoma § 63-695.2 - Purpose - Definitions - Statewide mutual aid system Reimbursement

§ 63-695.2. Purpose - Definitions - Statewide mutual aid system Reimbursement

A. The purpose of the Oklahoma Intrastate Mutual Aid Compact is

to create a system of intrastate mutual aid between participating

jurisdictions in the state.

B. As used in the Oklahoma Intrastate Mutual Aid Compact:

1. "Jurisdiction" means any county, city, town or municipal

corporation of the State of Oklahoma represented by an elected

governing body and city-county health department created pursuant to

the Oklahoma Public Health Code.

Sovereign Tribal Nations in the State of Oklahoma shall also be

considered jurisdictions under the Oklahoma Intrastate Mutual Aid

Compact and participating unless electing not to participate or

later withdrawing from the system.

Public universities in this state which maintain CLEET-certified

law enforcement agencies may elect to be considered jurisdictions

under the provisions of this act and shall retain the right to later

withdraw from the system;

2. "Emergency" means any occasion or instance for which

assistance is needed to supplement local efforts and capabilities to

save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, or

to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe; and

3. "Emergency responder" means anyone with special skills,

qualifications, training, knowledge, and experience in the public or

private sectors that would be beneficial to a participating

jurisdiction in response to a local emergency as defined in

applicable law or ordinance or authorized drill or exercise.

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 63. Public Health and Safety

C. Each participant of the system shall recognize that

emergencies transcend political jurisdictional boundaries and that

intergovernmental coordination is essential for the protection of

lives and property and for best use of available assets both public

and private. The system shall provide for mutual assistance among

the participating jurisdictions in the prevention of, response to,

and recovery from, any disaster or emergency, or any other activity,

as determined by the participating jurisdictions. The system shall

provide for mutual cooperation among the participating jurisdictions

in conducting disaster-related exercises, testing, or other training

activities outside actual declared emergency periods. This

legislation provides no immunity, rights, or privileges for any

individual responding to a state of emergency that is not requested

and/or authorized to respond by a participating jurisdiction.

Participating jurisdictions will be ensured eligibility, to the

fullest extent possible, for state and federal disaster funding.

D. All jurisdictions within the state, upon enactment of this

legislation, are automatically a part of the statewide mutual aid

system. A jurisdiction within the state may elect not to

participate or to later withdraw from the system upon enacting an

appropriate resolution by its governing body declaring that it

elects not to participate in the statewide mutual aid system and

providing a copy of the resolution to the Oklahoma Department of

Emergency Management. This legislation does not preclude

participating jurisdictions from entering into supplementary

agreements with another jurisdiction and does not affect any other

agreement to which a jurisdiction may currently be a party or decide

to be a party to.

E. Many disasters begin as emergencies where local jurisdictions

require fire service and/or law enforcement assistance. These

services would normally be requested and provided at the department

level as normal day-to-day operations with no reimbursement. If an

incident response expands beyond a normal day-to-day emergency into

a disaster situation, reimbursement for mutual aid services may be

necessary and will be in accordance with the Federal Emergency

Management Agency reimbursement policy.

F. In support of the Emergency Management Compact, Section 684.1

et seq. of this title, the Governor or the representative of the

Governor may request mutual aid assistance from local jurisdictions

for other states or their jurisdictions. In such situations, the

assisting local jurisdiction shall be considered an agent of the

state.

Added by Laws 2006, c. 199, § 4, emerg. eff. May 26, 2006. Amended

by Laws 2009, c. 79, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2009; Laws 2010, c. 258, § 2,

eff. Nov. 1, 2010; Laws 2013, c. 201, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2013.

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 63. Public Health and Safety