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resources to respond effectively and thus needs to request
support from other agencies. The closest associated agencies, or
agencies which are in the automatic aid system, will
automatically dispatch their resources to the requesting agency.
For example, Escambia County Fire Rescue and the Pace Fire
Rescue District in Florida have signed the automatic assistance
agreement to cooperate at the scene of any fire or emergency
where lives and/or property are threatened (Escambia County
Government in Florida, n.d.).
A local mutual aid agreement is in effect when a disaster of
long duration occurs, such as a wildfire or a hurricane that
affects several counties. A local agency that does not have
enough resources will request aid from other local agencies
which had previously signed a written mutual aid agreement.
The agencies from which aid is being requested will be
reimbursed their costs for providing assistance to the requesting
agency. For example, Sumter County and Citrus County in
Florida have signed an agreement to provide reciprocal
assistance on
the basis of mutual aid
for reported structure fires,
fire alarms, medical emergencies, hazardous material or rescue
scenarios, and brush fires (Sumter County Government in
Florida, n.d.).
A statewide mutual aid agreement is in place for
responding to large events that exceed the coping capacity of
any single local government. FDEM coordinates the assistance
between local governments during disasters and concentrates
available resources where needed. This agreement also certifies
timely reimbursements (Florida Division of Emergency
Management, n.d.b).
Florida county government is designated to function as the
core political subdivision responsible for planning and
implementing local EM policies and activities. Florida Statute
252 requires that each county establish an EM agency and create
an EM director position, while it is optional for municipal