Bill Text: NJ S1397 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires designated fire command structure in municipal emergency operations plans involving mutual aid responses to fires.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 2-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-02-07 - Substituted by A2593 [S1397 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-S1397-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator ANTHONY R. BUCCO
District 25 (Morris and Somerset)
Senator STEVEN V. OROHO
District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)
SYNOPSIS
Requires designated fire command structure in municipal emergency operations plans involving mutual aid responses to fires.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning certain municipal emergency management plans and amending P.L.2003, c.28.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 4 of P.L.2003, c.28 (C.52:14E-14) is amended to read as follows:
4. Each municipality or fire district, as the case may be, in this State shall prepare and adopt a local fire mutual aid plan. The plan shall set forth policies and procedures to coordinate the effective utilization of fire service resources in those instances where the implementation of the local fire mutual aid plan is determined to be necessary or appropriate. Each local fire mutual aid plan shall be based upon the planning criteria, objectives, requirements, responsibilities and concepts of operation essential for the implementation of all necessary and appropriate protective or remedial measures to be taken in response to emergency incidents.
Each local fire mutual aid plan shall provide for a command structure that affords appropriate command support for the incident commander. Deputy chiefs and battalion chiefs shall be included in the local and county fire mutual aid plan to respond to any emergency, to supply command support, or to be assigned to the command structure.
Each local fire mutual aid plan shall be adopted no later than one year after the effective date of this act. Following adoption, each municipality or fire district shall file a copy of its local fire mutual aid plan with the county fire coordinator. In any instance where a local fire mutual aid plan provides for the provision of assistance and fire service resources by or to a political subdivision of another state, the municipality or fire district also shall file a copy of that plan with the State fire coordinator. Each local fire mutual aid plan shall be reviewed and updated every two years.
(cf: P.L.2003, c.28, s.4)
2. This act shall take effect on the first day of the fourth month following enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill clarifies that the local fire mutual aid plan of each municipality or fire district must or is to include a proposed command structure that would afford appropriate command support for the designated battalion chief or incident commander. The bill specifically requires that battalion and deputy chiefs be included as part of the county fire mutual aid plan.
When a number of different fire departments are called to respond to an emergency situation, a clearly designated and delineated support command structure is essential.
