Title
Approval of a Resolution Authorizing an Interlocal Agreement between the City of Olympia Fire Department and WA State Department of Natural Resources - Forestland Response Agreement
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to approve the resolution authorizing the Interlocal Agreement with WA State Department of Natural Resources - Forestland Response Agreement, and authorizing the Interim City Manager to sign the agreement.
Report
Issue:
Whether to approve the resolution authorizing the Interlocal Agreement with WA State Department of Natural Resources for the Forestland Response Agreement, which provides forestland mutual aid response that will support Olympia Fire Department with resources to extinguish and investigate cause of fires in the Urban Wildland Interface areas of the City.
Staff Contact:
Toby Levens, Finance Coordinator, Olympia Fire Department, 360.753.8431
Greg Rightmier, Battalion Chief, Olympia Fire Department, 360.753.2703
Presenter(s):
None - Consent Calendar Item
Background and Analysis:
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) collects property taxes on certain lands and is statutorily charged with the protection of those lands from wildfire. Within the City of Olympia limits are land parcels, such as the woods around Grass Lake and the Percival Creek water shed, that fall into the definition of “forest lands.” In years past, the City of Olympia Fire Department has taken a lead role in the extinguishment of fires on these parcels and has worked with mutual aid partners and the DNR to access manpower, equipment and technical expertise.
The Forestland Response Agreement provides the legal and practical framework that 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 has the responsibility of 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.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
N/A
Options:
1. Approve the resolution authorizing the Interlocal Agreement. Accept the terms of the Interlocal Agreement and authorize the City Manager to sign the Agreement.
2. Do not approve the resolution authorizing the Interlocal Agreement and provide staff guidance.
Financial Impact:
If there is a wildland fire within the City limits that 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 Forestland Response Agreement in place, DNR can provide mutual aid response and a standard cost sharing formula is already in place, so no negotiations will be needed.
Attachments:
Resolution
Agreement