2023 Montana Code Annotated › Title 10. Military Affairs and Disaster and Emergency Services › Chapter 3. Disaster and Emergency Services › Part 2. Intergovernmental Cooperation › 10-3-207. Text of compact

10-3-207. Text of compact.
The interstate mutual aid compact referred to in 10-3-204 and 10-3-205 reads as follows:
INTERSTATE MUTUAL AID COMPACT
Article I
The purpose of this compact is to provide voluntary assistance among participating states in responding to any disaster or imminent disaster that overextends the ability of local and state governments to reduce, counteract, or remove the danger. Assistance may include but is not limited to rescue, fire, police, medical, communication, and transportation services and facilities to cope with problems which require use of special equipment, trained personnel, or personnel in large numbers not locally available.
Article II
Article I, section 10, of the Constitution of the United States permits a state to enter into an agreement or compact with another state, subject to the consent of congress. Congress, through enactment of 50 U.S.C. 2281(g) and 2283 (now repealed) and the executive branch, by issuance of Executive Orders No. 10186 of December 1, 1950, encourages the states to enter into emergency, disaster, and civil defense mutual aid agreements or pacts.
Article III
It is agreed by participating states that the following conditions will guide implementation of the compact:
(1) Participating states through their designated officials are authorized to request and receive assistance from a participating state. Requests will be granted only if the requesting state is committed to the mitigation of the emergency and other resources are not immediately available.
(2) Requests for assistance may be verbal or in writing. If the request is made by other than written communication, it must be confirmed in writing as soon as practical after the request. A written request shall provide an itemization of equipment and operators, types of expertise, and personnel or other resources needed. Each request must be signed by an authorized official.
(3) Personnel and equipment of the aiding state made available to the requesting state shall, whenever possible, remain under the control and direction of the aiding state. The activities of personnel and equipment of the aiding state must be coordinated by the requesting state.
(4) An aiding state has the right to withdraw some or all of its personnel and equipment whenever the personnel and equipment are needed by that state. Notice of intention to withdraw should be communicated to the requesting state as soon as possible.
Article IV
(1) The requesting state shall reimburse the aiding state as soon as possible after the receipt by the requesting state of an itemized voucher requesting reimbursement of costs.
(2) Any state rendering aid pursuant to this compact must be reimbursed by the state receiving such aid for any damage to, loss of, or expense incurred in the operation of any equipment used in responding to a request for aid, and for the cost incurred in connection with such requests.
(3) Any state rendering aid pursuant to this compact must be reimbursed by the state receiving such aid for the cost of compensation and death benefits to injured officers, agents, or employees and their dependents or representatives if such officers, agents, or employees sustain injuries or are killed while rendering aid pursuant to this arrangement and such payments are made in the same manner and on the same terms as if the injury or death were sustained within the aiding state.
Article V
(1) All privileges and immunities from liability, exemptions from law, ordinances, and rules and all pension, disability relief, workers' compensation, and other benefits that apply to the activity of officers, agents, or employees when performing their respective functions within the territorial limits of their respective political subdivisions apply to them to the same extent while engaged in the performance of any of their functions and duties extraterritorially under the provisions of this compact.
(2) All privileges and immunities from liability, exemptions from law, ordinances, and rules and workers' compensation and other benefits that apply to duly enrolled or registered volunteers when performing their respective functions at the request of their state and within its territorial limits apply to the same extent while performing their functions extraterritorially under the provisions of this compact. Volunteers may include but are not limited to physicians, surgeons, nurses, dentists, structural engineers, and trained search and rescue volunteers.
(3) The signatory states, their political subdivisions, municipal corporations, and other public agencies shall hold harmless the corresponding entities and personnel thereof from the other state with respect to the acts and omissions of its own agents and employees that occur while providing assistance pursuant to the common plan.
(4) Nothing in this arrangement may be construed as repealing or impairing any existing interstate mutual aid agreements.
(5) Upon enactment of this compact by two or more states, and annually by each January 1 thereafter, the participating states will exchange with each other the names of officials designated to request and provide services under this arrangement. In accordance with the cooperative nature of this arrangement, it is permissible and desirable for the states to exchange operational procedures to be followed in requesting assistance and reimbursing expenses.
(6) This compact becomes effective and is binding upon the states so acting when it has been enacted into law by any two states. Thereafter, this compact becomes effective and binding as to any other state upon similar action by such state.
(7) This compact remains binding upon a party state until it enacts a law repealing the compact and providing for the sending of formal written notice of withdrawal from the compact to the appropriate officials of all other party states. An actual withdrawal may not take effect until the 30th consecutive day after the notice has been sent. Such withdrawal does not relieve the withdrawing state from its obligations assumed under this compact prior to the effective date of withdrawal.
History: En. Sec. 3, Ch. 228, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 43, Ch. 42, L. 1997.