PUBLIC LAW 110–171—DEC. 26, 2007 121 STAT. 2467 

Public Law 110–171 

110th Congress 

Joint Resolution 

Granting the consent of Congress to the International Emergency Management 

Assistance Memorandum of Understanding. 

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the

United States of America in Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. CONGRESSIONAL CONSENT. 

Congress consents to the International Emergency Management 

Assistance Memorandum of Understanding entered into between 

the States of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, 

Rhode Island, and Connecticut and the Provinces of Quebec, New 

Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. 

The compact is substantially as follows: 

‘‘Article I—International Emergency Management Assistance 

Memorandum of Understanding Purpose and 

Authorities 

‘‘The International Emergency Management Assistance Memorandum of Understanding, hereinafter referred to as the ‘compact,’ 

is made and entered into by and among such of the jurisdictions 

as shall enact or adopt this compact, hereinafter referred to as 

‘party jurisdictions.’ For the purposes of this agreement, the term 

‘jurisdictions’ may include any or all of the States of Maine, New 

Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut and the Provinces of Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince 

Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, and such other 

states and provinces as may hereafter become a party to this 

compact. 

‘‘The purpose of this compact is to provide for the possibility 

of mutual assistance among the jurisdictions entering into this 

compact in managing any emergency or disaster when the affected 

jurisdiction or jurisdictions ask for assistance, whether arising from 

natural disaster, technological hazard, manmade disaster or civil 

emergency aspects of resources shortages. 

‘‘This compact also provides for the process of planning mechanisms among the agencies responsible and for mutual cooperation, 

including, if need be, emergency-related exercises, testing, or other 

training activities using equipment and personnel simulating 

performance of any aspect of the giving and receiving of aid by 

party jurisdictions or subdivisions of party jurisdictions during 

emergencies, with such actions occurring outside actual declared 

emergency periods. Mutual assistance in this compact may include 

the use of emergency forces by mutual agreement among party 

jurisdictions. 

State listing. 

Provinces. 

Dec. 26, 2007 

[S.J. Res. 13] 


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121 STAT. 2468 PUBLIC LAW 110–171—DEC. 26, 2007 

‘‘Article II—General Implementation 

‘‘Each party jurisdiction entering into this compact recognizes 

that many emergencies may exceed the capabilities of a party 

jurisdiction and that intergovernmental cooperation is essential in 

such circumstances. Each jurisdiction further recognizes that there 

will be emergencies that may require immediate access and present 

procedures to apply outside resources to make a prompt and effective response to such an emergency because few, if any, individual 

jurisdictions have all the resources they need in all types of emergencies or the capability of delivering resources to areas where 

emergencies exist. 

‘‘The prompt, full, and effective utilization of resources of the 

participating jurisdictions, including any resources on hand or available from any other source that are essential to the safety, care, 

and welfare of the people in the event of any emergency or disaster, 

shall be the underlying principle on which all articles of this compact are understood. 

‘‘On behalf of the party jurisdictions participating in the compact, the legally designated official who is assigned responsibility 

for emergency management is responsible for formulation of the 

appropriate inter-jurisdictional mutual aid plans and procedures 

necessary to implement this compact, and for recommendations 

to the jurisdiction concerned with respect to the amendment of 

any statutes, regulations, or ordinances required for that purpose. 

‘‘Article III—Party Jurisdiction Responsibilities 

‘‘(a) FORMULATE PLANS AND PROGRAMS.—It is the responsibility 

of each party jurisdiction to formulate procedural plans and programs for inter-jurisdictional cooperation in the performance of 

the responsibilities listed in this section. In formulating and implementing such plans and programs the party jurisdictions, to the 

extent practical, shall— 

‘‘(1) review individual jurisdiction hazards analyses that 

are available and, to the extent reasonably possible, determine 

all those potential emergencies the party jurisdictions might 

jointly suffer, whether due to natural disaster, technological 

hazard, man-made disaster or emergency aspects of resource 

shortages; 

‘‘(2) initiate a process to review party jurisdictions’ individual emergency plans and develop a plan that will determine 

the mechanism for the inter-jurisdictional cooperation; 

‘‘(3) develop inter-jurisdictional procedures to fill any identified gaps and to resolve any identified inconsistencies or overlaps in existing or developed plans; 

‘‘(4) assist in warning communities adjacent to or crossing 

jurisdictional boundaries; 

‘‘(5) protect and ensure delivery of services, medicines, 

water, food, energy and fuel, search and rescue, and critical 

lifeline equipment, services and resources, both human and 

material to the extent authorized by law; 

‘‘(6) inventory and agree upon procedures for the interjurisdictional loan and delivery of human and material 

resources, together with procedures for reimbursement or 

forgiveness; and 


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PUBLIC LAW 110–171—DEC. 26, 2007 121 STAT. 2469 

‘‘(7) provide, to the extent authorized by law, for temporary 

suspension of any statutes or ordinances, over which the province or state has jurisdiction, that impede the implementation 

of the responsibilities described in this subsection. 

‘‘(b) REQUEST ASSISTANCE.—The authorized representative of 

a party jurisdiction may request assistance of another party jurisdiction by contacting the authorized representative of that jurisdiction. 

These provisions only apply to requests for assistance made by 

and to authorized representatives. Requests may be verbal or in 

writing. If verbal, the request must be confirmed in writing within 

15 days of the verbal request. Requests must provide the following 

information: 

‘‘(1) A description of the emergency service function for 

which assistance is needed and of the mission or missions, 

including but not limited to fire services, emergency medical, 

transportation, communications, public works and engineering, 

building inspection, planning and information assistance, mass 

care, resource support, health and medical services, and search 

and rescue. 

‘‘(2) The amount and type of personnel, equipment, materials, and supplies needed and a reasonable estimate of the 

length of time they will be needed. 

‘‘(3) The specific place and time for staging of the assisting 

party’s response and a point of contact at the location. 

‘‘(c) CONSULTATION AMONG PARTY JURISDICTION OFFICIALS.— 

There shall be frequent consultation among the party jurisdiction 

officials who have assigned emergency management responsibilities, 

such officials collectively known hereinafter as the International 

Emergency Management Group, and other appropriate representatives of the party jurisdictions with free exchange of information, 

plans, and resource records relating to emergency capabilities to 

the extent authorized by law. 

‘‘Article IV—Limitation 

‘‘Any party jurisdiction requested to render mutual aid or conduct exercises and training for mutual aid shall undertake to 

respond as soon as possible, except that it is understood that 

the jurisdiction rendering aid may withhold or recall resources 

to the extent necessary to provide reasonable protection for that 

jurisdiction. Each party jurisdiction shall afford to the personnel 

of the emergency forces of any party jurisdiction, while operating 

within its jurisdictional limits under the terms and conditions of 

this compact and under the operational control of an officer of 

the requesting party, the same powers, duties, rights, privileges, 

and immunities as are afforded similar or like forces of the jurisdiction in which they are performing emergency services. Emergency 

forces continue under the command and control of their regular 

leaders, but the organizational units come under the operational 

control of the emergency services authorities of the jurisdiction 

receiving assistance. These conditions may be activated, as needed, 

by the jurisdiction that is to receive assistance or upon commencement of exercises or training for mutual aid and continue as long 

as the exercises or training for mutual aid are in progress, the 

emergency or disaster remains in effect or loaned resources remain 

in the receiving jurisdiction or jurisdictions, whichever is longer. 

The receiving jurisdiction is responsible for informing the assisting 


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121 STAT. 2470 PUBLIC LAW 110–171—DEC. 26, 2007 

jurisdictions of the specific moment when services will no longer 

be required. 

‘‘Article V—Licenses and Permits 

‘‘Whenever a person holds a license, certificate, or other permit 

issued by any jurisdiction party to the compact evidencing the 

meeting of qualifications for professional, mechanical, or other 

skills, and when such assistance is requested by the receiving 

party jurisdiction, such person is deemed to be licensed, certified, 

or permitted by the jurisdiction requesting assistance to render 

aid involving such skill to meet an emergency or disaster, subject 

to such limitations and conditions as the requesting jurisdiction 

prescribes by Executive order or otherwise. 

‘‘Article VI—Liability 

‘‘Any person or entity of a party jurisdiction rendering aid 

in another jurisdiction pursuant to this compact are considered 

agents of the requesting jurisdiction for tort liability and immunity 

purposes. Any person or entity rendering aid in another jurisdiction 

pursuant to this compact are not liable on account of any act 

or omission in good faith on the part of such forces while so 

engaged or on account of the maintenance or use of any equipment 

or supplies in connection therewith. Good faith in this article does 

not include willful misconduct, gross negligence, or recklessness. 

‘‘Article VII—Supplementary Agreements 

‘‘Because it is probable that the pattern and detail of the 

machinery for mutual aid among 2 or more jurisdictions may differ 

from that among the jurisdictions that are party to this compact, 

this compact contains elements of a broad base common to all 

jurisdictions, and nothing in this compact precludes any jurisdiction 

from entering into supplementary agreements with another jurisdiction or affects any other agreements already in force among jurisdictions. Supplementary agreements may include, but are not limited 

to, provisions for evacuation and reception of injured and other 

persons and the exchange of medical, fire, public utility, reconnaissance, welfare, transportation and communications personnel, 

equipment, and supplies. 

‘‘Article VIII—Workers’ Compensation and Death Benefits 

‘‘Each party jurisdiction shall provide, in accordance with its 

own laws, for the payment of workers’ compensation and death 

benefits to injured members of the emergency forces of that jurisdiction and to representatives of deceased members of those forces 

if the members sustain injuries or are killed while rendering aid 

pursuant to this compact, in the same manner and on the same 

terms as if the injury or death were sustained within their own 

jurisdiction. 

‘‘Article IX—Reimbursement 

‘‘Any party jurisdiction rendering aid in another jurisdiction 

pursuant to this compact shall, if requested, be reimbursed by 

the party jurisdiction receiving such aid for any loss or damage 

to, or expense incurred in, the operation of any equipment and 

the provision of any service in answering a request for aid and 

for the costs incurred in connection with those requests. An aiding 

party jurisdiction may assume in whole or in part any such loss, 


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PUBLIC LAW 110–171—DEC. 26, 2007 121 STAT. 2471 

damage, expense, or other cost or may loan such equipment or 

donate such services to the receiving party jurisdiction without 

charge or cost. Any 2 or more party jurisdictions may enter into 

supplementary agreements establishing a different allocation of 

costs among those jurisdictions. Expenses under article VIII are 

not reimbursable under this section. 

‘‘Article X—Evacuation 

‘‘Each party jurisdiction shall initiate a process to prepare 

and maintain plans to facilitate the movement of and reception 

of evacuees into its territory or across its territory, according to 

its capabilities and powers. The party jurisdiction from which the 

evacuees came shall assume the ultimate responsibility for the 

support of the evacuees, and after the termination of the emergency 

or disaster, for the repatriation of such evacuees. 

‘‘Article XI—Implementation 

‘‘(a) This compact is effective upon its execution or adoption 

by any 2 jurisdictions, and is effective as to any other jurisdiction 

upon its execution or adoption thereby: subject to approval or 

authorization by the United States Congress, if required, and subject to enactment of provincial or State legislation that may be 

required for the effectiveness of the Memorandum of Understanding. 

‘‘(b) Any party jurisdiction may withdraw from this compact, 

but the withdrawal does not take effect until 30 days after the 

governor or premier of the withdrawing jurisdiction has given notice 

in writing of such withdrawal to the governors or premiers of 

all other party jurisdictions. The action does not relieve the withdrawing jurisdiction from obligations assumed under this compact 

prior to the effective date of withdrawal. 

‘‘(c) Duly authenticated copies of this compact in the French 

and English languages and of such supplementary agreements as 

may be entered into shall, at the time of their approval, be deposited 

with each of the party jurisdictions. 

‘‘Article XII—Severability 

‘‘This compact is construed to effectuate the purposes stated 

in Article I. If any provision of this compact is declared unconstitutional or the applicability of the compact to any person or circumstances is held invalid, the validity of the remainder of this 

compact and the applicability of the compact to other persons and 

circumstances are not affected. 

‘‘Article XIII—Consistency of Language 

‘‘The validity of the arrangements and agreements consented 

to in this compact shall not be affected by any insubstantial difference in form or language as may be adopted by the various 

states and provinces. 

‘‘Article XIV—Amendment 

‘‘This compact may be amended by agreement of the party 

jurisdictions.’’. 

SEC. 2. INCONSISTENCY OF LANGUAGE. 

The validity of the arrangements consented to by this Act 

shall not be affected by any insubstantial difference in their form 

or language as adopted by the States and provinces. 


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121 STAT. 2472 PUBLIC LAW 110–171—DEC. 26, 2007 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S.J. Res. 13: 

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 153 (2007): 

Oct. 2, considered and passed Senate. 

Dec. 17, considered and passed House. 

Æ 

SEC. 3. RIGHT TO ALTER, AMEND, OR REPEAL. 

The right to alter, amend, or repeal this Act is hereby expressly 

reserved. 

Approved December 26, 2007. 


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