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ORANGE COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICES
Interoffice Memorandum
TO: Board of County Commissioners
VIA: Laura Blackmon, County Manager
FROM: Colonel F. Rojas Monies de Oca, Jr. -Director
DATE: October 7, 2008
SUBJECT: Mutual Aid Report
The Board of County Commissioners requested an update of fire and emergency
protection mutual aid agreements in force within the County. Below is that report
prepared by department staff.
Should you have further questions or desire clarification, please let me know.
Thank you.
Care • Serve • Survive
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ORANGE COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICES
Report to the Board of. County Commissioners
Mutual Aid in Orange County
North Carolina General Statute 58-83-1 authorizes fire departments and fire
districts, both municipal and volunteer; to send personnel and equipment for
mutual aid purposes outside the district they normally serve. The fire
departments. and firefighters have the same authorities and immunities as
afforded in their own district when responding to a call and while working at a fire
or other emergency; including worker's compensation coverage.
Several mutual aid agreements have been signed by departments in Orange
County in past years, the most current is dated October 1994 with an addendum
dated December 2005. Both agreements were edited and approved by County
Attorney staff prior to department signatures. The 1994 mutual aid agreement
defines roles and responsibilities for liabilities, damages to apparatus and/or
equipment, injuries, wages and benefits, conduct and actions of personnel.
Parties to the agreement(s) have established practices for equipment and
personnel response for specific areas, based on life safety considerations,
building occupancies, construction, accessibility, water supplies, etc. Specific
response for additional equipment andJor personnel have been identified and
agreed upon and have been established in writing, reflected in run card and
dispatch process documents in the 9-1-1 Communications Center and signed by
the fire chief of each department.
The 1994 agreement was signed by all departments with tax districts and/or
response areas in Orange County. The 2005 addendum was created to enhance
fire protection capabilities in the county and meet the minimum requirements for
the Response Rating Survey Program administered by the North Carolina
Department of Insurance; Office of the State Fire Marshal. This addendum
meets the necessary mutual aid requirements to extend insurance districts from
five miles to six miles and receive .maximum points in the Methods of Operation
Section of the Response Rating Survey.
Care • Serve • Survive
Page 2
October 2008
Mutual Aid Report
The Response Rating Survey is used by the Department of Insurance, Office of
the State Fire Marshal to grade fire departments for insurance purposes. This
mutual provision of the addendum is specific in the response capabilities of
mutual aid engines and tankers to fire scenes. Responding fire engines must
have pumping capabilities of one thousand gallons per minute. Tankers must
carry a minimum of one thousand gallons of water and two responders to operate
the tanker during water shuttle operations.
The addendum was signed by all departments, except Chapel Hill Fire
Department and Mebane Fire Department. Although these two departments
have adequate engines and/or tankers to provide fire protection within their
response areas, they respond to and send equipment to mutual aid calls for other
departments and are covered by the 1994 mutual aid agreement. Chapel Hill
Fire Department declined to sign the addendum because it related to tanker use,
which Chapel Hill Fire Department does not operate. Their suppression water
system is adequately served by the established hydrant grid within the
boundaries of Chapel Hill.
The 2005 addendum requires a three department response to all structure fires
in the county, which has enhanced fire suppression capabilities. Orange County
departments respond mutual aid to fires and emergencies in Chatham, Durham,
Alamance, Caswell and Person Counties. Departments whose district adjoin a
district in another county or respond to other counties have signed mutual aid
agreements with departments in adjoining counties. These agreements must be
in place to meet the grading requirements of the North Carolina Department of
Insurance, Office of the State Fire Marshal. The Office of the State Fire Marshal
has reviewed and approved these documents.
When fire departments respond to other counties or have a major fire in their
respective district, other fire departments "move-up" equipment and personnel to
those stations to assist and provide coverage. Allocation of resources and
equipment are coordinated by the fire chief, senior fire officer on the scene or
staff from Emergency Services.
The Department of Emergency Services will begin a review of all mutual aid
agreements in 2009 to ensure currency and recommend adjustments where
necessary to address any deficiencies in coverage,. operations, safety or
compliance with state, local or federal regulations.
Care • Serve • Survive