An Act granting the consent and approval of Congress to an interstate forest fire protection compact
PL 83-642 (H.R.6393), enacted 08/24/1954

68 S T A T . ] 
PUBLIC LAW 642-AUG. 24, 1954 
788 
SEC. 2. The amendments made by the first section of this Act shall 
apply only with respect to offenses committed on and after the date 
of the enactment of this Act. 
Approved August 24, 1954. 
Public Law 642 
CHAPTER 891 
^^ 
^^^ 
August 24, 1954 
Granting the consent and approval of Congress to an interstate forest 
fire 
[H. R. 6393] 
protection compact. 
South 
C e n t r a l 
Interstate 
Fo re st 
Be it enacted by the /Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled^ That the consent and 
approval of Congress is hereby given to any two or more of the States F i r e Protection 
of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas to enter into consent of con-
the following compact relating to the prevention and control of forest g'ess* 
fires in the South Central region of the United States. 
The compact reads as follows: 
"SOUTH CENTRAL INTERSTATE FOREST FIRE PROTECTION COMPACT 
"ARTICLE I 
"The purpose of this compact is to promote effective prevention and 
control of forest fires in the South Central region of the United States 
by the development of integrated forest fire plans, by the maintenance 
of adequate forest fire fighting services by the member states, by 
providing for mutual aid in fighting forest fires among the compacting 
states of the region and with states which are party to other Kegional 
Forest Fire Protection compacts or agreements, and for more adequate 
forest development. 
" A R T I C L E 
II 
"This compact shall become operative immediately as to those 
states ratifying it whenever any two or more of the States of Arkansas, 
Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas which are contiguous 
have ratified it and Congress has given consent thereto. Any state 
not mentioned in this article which is contiguous with any member 
state may become a party to this compact, subject to approval by 
the legislature of each of the member states. 
u 
ARTICLE III 
"In each state, the state forester or officer holding the equivalent 
position who is responsible for forest fire control shall act as compact 
administrator for that state and shall consult with like officials of 
the other member states and shall implement cooperation between 
such states in forest fire prevention and control, 
"The compact administrators of the member states sliall organize 
to coordinate the services of the member states and provide admin-
istrative integration in carrying out the purposes of this compact. 
"There shall be established an advisory committee of legislators, 
forestrj^ commission representatives, and forestry or forest products 
industries representatives which shall meet from time to time with 
the compact administrators. 
Each member state shall name one 
member of the Senate and one member of the House of Representa-
tives, and the Governor of each member state shall appoint one repre-
sentative who shall be the chairman of the state forestry commis-
sion or comparable official and one representative who shall be asso-
ciated with forestry or forest products industries to comprise the 
784 
PUBLIC LAW 642-AUG. 24, 1954 
[68 S T A T . 
membership of the advisory committee. 
Action shall be taken by 
a majority of the compacting states, and each state shall be entitled 
to one vote. 
"The compact administrators shall formulate and, in accordance 
with need, from time to time, revise a regional forest fire plan for 
the member states. 
"It shall be the duty of each member state to formulate and put 
in effect a forest fire plan for that state and take such measures as 
may be necessary to integrate such forest fire plan with the regional 
forest fire plan formulated by the compact administrators. 
a ARTICLE IV 
"Whenever the state forest fire control agency of a member state 
requests aid from the state forest fire control agency of any other 
member state in combating, controlling or preventing forest fires, it 
shall be the duty of the state forest fire control agency of that state 
to render all possible aid to the requesting agency which is consonant 
with the maintenance of protection at home. 
"ARTICLE V 
"Whenever the forces of any member state are rendering outside 
aid pursuant to the request of another member state under this com-
pact, the employees of such state shall, under the direction of the offi-
cers of the state to which they are rendering aid, have the same powers 
(except the power of arrest), duties, rights, privileges and immuni-
ties as comparable employees of the state to which they are render-
ing aid. 
"No member state or its officers or employees rendering outside aid 
pursuant to this compact shall be liable on account of any act or omis-
sion on the part of such forces while so engaged, or on account of the 
maintenance or use of any equipment or supplies in connection there-
with : Provided, That nothing herein shall be construed as relieving 
any person from liability for his own negligent act or omission, or 
as imposing liability for such negligent act or omission upon any state. 
"All liability, except as otherwise provided hereinafter, that may 
arise either under the laws of the requesting state or under the laws 
of the aiding state or under the laws of a third state on account of or 
in connection with a request for aid, shall be assumed and borne by 
the requesting state. 
"Any member state rendering outside aid pursuant to this compact 
shall be reimbursed by the member state receiving such aid for any 
loss or damage to, or expense incurred in the operation of any equip-
ment answering a request for aid, and for the cost of all materials, 
transportation, wages, salaries, and maintenance of employees and 
equipment incurred in connection with such request: Provided, That 
nothing herein contained shall prevent any assisting member state 
from assuming such loss, damage, expense or other cost or from loan-
ing such equipment or from donating such service to the receiving 
member state without charge or cost. 
"Each member state shall provide for the payment of compensa-
tion and death benefits to injured employees and the representatives 
of deceased employees in case employees sustain injuries or are killed 
while rendering outside aid pursuant to this compact, in the same 
manner and on the same terms as if the injury or death were sus-
tained within such state. 
"For the purposes of this compact the term employee shall include 
any volunteer or auxiliary legally included within the forest fire 
fighting forces of the aiding state under the laws thereof. 
68 S T A T . ] 
PUBLIC LAW 643-AUG. 24, 1954 
785 
"The compact administrators shall formulate procedures for claims 
and reimbursement under the provisions of this article, in accordance 
with the laws of the member states. 
"ARTICLE VI 
"Ratification of this compact shall not be construed to affect any 
existing statute so as to authorize or permit curtailment or diminution 
of the forest fire fighting forces, equipment, services or facilities of 
any member state. 
"Nothing in this compact shall be construed to limit or restrict the 
powers of any state ratifying the same to provide for the prevention, 
control and extinguishment of forest fires, or to prohibit the enact-
ment or enforcement of state laws, rules or regulations intended to aid 
in such prevention, control and extinguishment in such state. 
"Nothing in this compact shall be construed to affect any existing 
or future cooperative relationship or arrangement between the United 
States Forest Service and a member st^te or states. 
u 
ARTICLE VII 
"The compact administrators may request the United States Forest 
Service to act as the primary research and coordinating agency of 
the South Central Interstate Forest Fire Protection Compact in coop-
eration with the appropriate agencies in each state, and the United 
States Forest Service may accept the initial responsibility in preparing 
and presenting to the compact administrators its recommendations 
with respect to the regional fire plan. 
Representatives of the United 
States Forest Service may attend meetings of the compact adminis-
trators. 
"ARTICLE VIII 
"The provisions of Articles IV and V of this compact which relate 
to mutual aid in combating, controlling or preventing forest fires shall 
be operative as between any state party to this compact and any other 
state which is party to a regional forest fire protection compact in 
another region: Provided, 
That the legislature of such other state 
shall have given its assent to such mutual aid provisions of this 
compact. 
"ARTICLE IX 
"This compact shall continue in force and remain binding on each 
state ratifying it until the legislature or the Governor of such state 
takes action to withdraw therefrom. 
Such action shall not be effec-
tive until six months after notice thereof has been sent by the chief 
executive of the state desiring to withdraw to the chief executives of 
all states then parties to the compact." 
Approved August 24, 1954. 
August 24, 1954 
[H. R. 6886] 
Public Law 643 
CHAPTER 892 
AN ACT 
To ratify and confirm sections 5 and 6 of Act 254 and Act 280 of the Session 
Laws of Hawaii 19.53 and to authorize the issuance of certain public improve-
ment bonds by the Territory of Hawaii. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled. That sections 5 and 6 
Hawaii, 
of Act 254 of the Session Laws of Hawaii 1953, entitled: "An Act bonds.'°"^"*"' 
30777 O—55—pt. 1-
-52