COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Department of Public Works

 

DATE:

October 6, 2006

BOARD MEETING DATE:

October 24, 2006

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

 

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Don Horsley, Sheriff

Neil R. Cullen, Director of Public Works

   

SUBJECT:

Mutual Aid Agreement with Participating San Mateo County Cities

 

Recommendation

Adopt a resolution authorizing the President of the Board to execute Mutual Aid Agreements with cities within San Mateo County.

 

Vision Alignment

Commitment: Responsive, effective and collaborative government.

Goal 22: County and local governments effectively communicate, collaborate and develop strategic approaches to issues affecting the entire County.

 

Your Board authorizing the President of the Board to execute an agreement with various cities will provide for the safe and orderly sharing of emergency assets throughout the County of San Mateo.

 

Background

 

Previous Board Action

Adopted the San Mateo Operational Area Emergency Operations Plan (EOP).

 

History

The San Mateo County Terrorism Working Group and Voting Committee is tasked with enhancing the ability of agencies throughout the County to better prepare and react to natural disasters and emergency incidents, minimize their impact, and therefore enhance the safety of all residents and visitors. This committee identified and supports a need to create mutual aid within public works agencies in the County.

 

The Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services (OES) successfully applied for grant funding to support this effort. Upon receiving grant monies, a Public Works Mutual Aid Committee was formed and included participation from cities throughout the County to create an agreed upon mutual aid document.

 

The EOP provides the framework for responding to major emergencies associated with natural disasters, technological incidents, and national security/Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) terrorism emergencies. The goals of the Public Works Mutual Aid Annex are to outline a strategy to prepare for, mitigate, respond to, and recover from an emergency or disaster that affects the public works agencies that serve the population within San Mateo County.

 

Discussion

Mutual aid agreements are a necessary part of the EOP as they:

 
 

Ø

provide the framework for one agency to request material, equipment and personnel from the other agency signatory to the agreement;

 
 

Ø

does not obligate the responding agency to respond if that agency determines that it does not have or cannot make available the requested material, equipment or personnel;

 
 

Ø

establishes that responding agencies will be reimbursed for its costs by the requesting agency.

 

A resolution and agreement have been approved as to form by County Counsel. The agreement will be distributed to all cities in the County for their consideration.

 

Fiscal Impact

A Homeland Security Grant financed the cost of preparing and implementing the Plan.

 

Future costs of implementing the plan will be the responsibility of the requesting agency at the time mutual aid assistance is requested and provided.

 

There is no impact to the General Fund at this time; and any future impact to the General Fund would be determined at the time the County requests mutual aid and would depend on the circumstances which necessitates the County seeking mutual aid.