Title
Approval of a Resolution Authorizing the Amendment to the Interlocal Agreement between the City of Olympia and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources for Forestland Fire Mutual Aid
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to approve a Resolution authorizing the Amendment to extend the term length of the original Interlocal Agreement between the City of Olympia and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources while a new agreement is drafted for forestland fire mutual aid and to allow for the reimbursement of allowable Fire Agency costs incurred if Olympia Fire Department assets are mobilized.
Report
Issue:
Whether to approve a Resolution authorizing the Amendment to extend the term length of the original Interlocal Agreement between the City of Olympia and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources while a new agreement is drafted for forestland fire mutual aid and to allow for the reimbursement of allowable Fire Agency costs incurred if Olympia Fire Department assets are mobilized.
Staff Contact:
Matt Morris, Fire Chief, Olympia Fire Department, 360.753.8466
Presenter(s):
Matt Morris, Fire Chief, Olympia Fire Department, 360.753.8466
Background and Analysis:
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) collects property taxes on certain lands and is statutorily charged with protecting those lands from wildfire. Within the City of Olympia limits are land parcels, such as the woods around Grass Lake and the Percival Creek and Watershed Park, that fall into the definition of “forest lands.” In the past years, the City of Olympia Fire Department has taken a lead role in extinguishing fires on these parcels and has worked with mutual aid partners and the DNR to access personnel, equipment, and technical expertise.
The Forestland Response Agreement provides the legal and practical framework DNR uses to guide the operations in these Wildland Urban Interface areas with fire departments and districts throughout the State. This agreement specifies how the City of Olympia Fire Department and the DNR will cooperate during an emergency response. The agreement provides guidelines on how resources are to be ordered, who is responsible for leading the response, and how that responsibility is transferred, along with details on payment rates and invoice processing. Should the City need outside resources or be part of a mutual aid response outside the City, the agreement will provide the mechanism for those services to be reimbursed by the DNR.
Climate Analysis:
While this interagency agreement does not specifically address one of the sectors in the Climate Framework, it does support the City’s initiative to reduce the impacts of climate change by helping to ensure the emergency response system has the appropriate resources and funding mechanisms to address all-hazard threats. The quicker resources can mobilize and mitigate the emergency, the less the environmental impacts will be.
Equity Analysis:
The impacts of this interagency agreement have been applied through the equity lens of the City’s Equity Framework. This agreement will help the Olympia Fire Department achieve its mission to respond rapidly to mitigate emergencies for all community members. The agreement provides a mechanism to obtain reimbursement for Olympia Fire Department resources mobilized to address a threat.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
Public Safety-This interagency agreement supports the universal protection of life and property for all community members.
Financial Impact:
If a wildland fire occurs within the City limits and requires expensive resources such as aviation assets, heavy equipment, or hand crews, the City will be liable for those expenditures until or unless payment by DNR can be negotiated at the time. With this agreement in place, those negotiations are not needed; a standard cost-sharing formula is already in place.
Options:
1. Approve the Resolution authorizing the Amendment to the Interlocal Agreement between the City of Olympia and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources.
2. Do not approve the Resolution authorizing the Amendment to the Interlocal Agreement between the City of Olympia and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources.
3. Take other action.
Attachments:
Resolution
Amendment
Agreement