PTI Local Government Energy Assurance Guidelines - Metropolitan ...

Voluntary Pre-Event Collaboration: Create and/or Update Mutual Aid Agreements Where
Appropriate
Voluntary pre-event collaboration between local jurisdictions and other public sector partners can save lives while
also ensuring rapid recovery from an energy emergency. Voluntary mutual aid agreements (MAAs) can help
formalize partnerships with other public sector entities. While MAAs typically have not been developed to address
energy supply disruptions, they may be used as a template and adapted to address an energy emergency. One of the
most important aspects of a mutual aid agreement is that it is entirely voluntary. Mutual aid agreements can cover
topics such as dispatching emergency power generation resources, fuel storage and transportation agreements,
service redundancies, and emergency personnel support. Typical non-energy mutual aid agreements include topics
such as search and rescue, sandbagging, emergency medical care, and debris removal.
A mutual aid agreement is a written understanding between governments on how, when, and the extent to which
aid will be given from one local government to another upon request. These agreements typically apply to response
activities, not planning or recovery. MAAs are practical and cost-effective, as units of government do not have to
hire staff and purchase equipment for events and situations that may occur only rarely, as in an energy emergency.
Instead of having to carry the costs associated with permanent staff (and other resources necessary for an effective
response action) on a sustained basis, the requesting jurisdiction reimburses the lending jurisdiction for ‘loaning’
staff and resources (such as hazmat vehicles) to the requesting jurisdiction on an ‘as needed’ basis. The costs for this
‘loan’ are agreed upon in advance and written into the MAA.
In the vast majority of incidents, local and State resources and regional mutual aid will provide the first line of
emergency response and incident management support. Tribal and local authorities, not Federal agencies, have the
primary responsibility for preventing, responding to, and recovering from energy-related emergencies and disasters.
Mutual aid agreements can help line up resources far in advance of a disaster. An organization devoted exclusively
to mutual aid agreements is the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC). It was established in 1996
as a partnership between member States. Communities developing EAPs may find much of EMAC’s work to be
transferrable to local governments. 41
3.10.2 Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) and Other Partnerships
Non-governmental organizations are often overlooked in the planning and response phases of an emergency, and are
frequently sought out and deployed only in the recovery phase. Although few would argue that they are not effective
in this role, their resources could be leveraged even more effectively if they were included in planning and response
team meetings and decisions. There are numerous entities that fall under the general categories of non-profits, faithbased,
and charitable organizations that serve the disabled and other vulnerable populations. Organizations such as
food/housing/business co-ops also could add value to the efforts of the Salvation Army, Red Cross, and other allied
entities in the recovery stage of an emergency.
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70 | 3 – How to Develop or Enhance a Local Energy Assurance Plan