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Ramsey, Nowthen, St. Francis, Oak Grove, and Bethel, Minnesota <br />Feasibility Study for Shared or Cooperative Fire and Emergency Services <br />Enhanced Mutual and Automatic Aid Agreements I Timeline: Short term <br />Objective: Enhance existing mutual and automatic aid agreements and formalize those agreements with <br />city council approval. <br />Summary Background: One of the most elemental levels of cooperative service delivery is that of the <br />sharing of valuable resources, both equipment and people. A primary means for sharing resources is by <br />the use of Mutual Aid and Automatic Aid. Mutual Aid involves establishing agreements under which a fire <br />department can request and receive equipment and personnel support for an emergency incident from a <br />neighboring fire department. Automatic Aid is the same, with the exception that it is automated based on <br />dispatch protocols, absent the need for an incident commander to request the assistance. <br />Policy Action: Review mutual aid and automatic aid procedures that are currently in place to identify <br />opportunities to increase effectiveness. In jurisdictions for which Automatic Aid procedures have not yet <br />been established, complete the implementation process. Review response times, including the maps <br />provided in this report, to identify areas in which Automatic Aid can be initiated to enhance response. Do <br />not limit consideration to the study agencies, but include review of station locations and travel times from <br />other neighboring fire departments. <br />Pro Con <br />• Formalization of existing agreements <br />• Identification of responsibilities, duties and <br />liabilities <br />• More efficient response <br />• Reduced requirements on command <br />personnel (automatic dispatch) <br />• Increased interdepartmental cooperation <br />Fiscal Considerations: <br />• Number and frequency of responses <br />• Potential of imbalance in responses <br />• Substantial differences in current equipment <br />load lists, compartmentation and staffing <br />models <br />• Volume of equipment and personnel sent to incidents outside of the agency's jurisdiction <br />• The cost of implementing these practices is generally offset by the fact that a similar level of <br />assistance is provided by another agency in return. As a result, an organization may be able to avoid <br />costs if Mutual or Automatic Aid resources are made available instead of adding new stations, <br />apparatus and personnel to provide coverage in a response area. <br />page 110 <br />mcrscncy Scrosm Con,u[nn <br />