Opinion ID: 2629737
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: potential statutory conflict

Text: The estate argues that RCW 38.52.080(1) (which guarantees that city and county employees retain their rights and privileges whenever they render aid outside the scope of their normal employment) and RCW 38.52.190 (which limits emergency workers' claims to workers' compensation) are in conflict. We disagree. If Hauber had been responding under a mutual aid agreement to fight a fire or provide other prior-agreed-upon emergency services in the Zillah area, and he was injured because of the local fire department's negligence, he would have a viable claim under RCW 38.52.080(1). If RCW 38.52.080(1)'s use of outside is understood to be geographic, there is no conflict. RCW 38.52.080(1) says: Whenever the employees of any political subdivision are rendering outside aid pursuant to the authority contained in RCW 38.52.070 such employees shall have the same powers, duties, rights, privileges, and immunities as if they were performing their duties in the political subdivisions in which they are normally employed. (Emphasis added.) The preceding statute also uses outside geographically: Each political subdivision of this state is hereby authorized and directed to establish a local organization or to be a member of a joint local organization for emergency management in accordance with the state comprehensive emergency management plan and program.... Each local organization or joint local organization for emergency management shall perform emergency management functions within the territorial limits of the political subdivision within which it is organized, and, in addition, shall conduct such functions outside of such territorial limits as may be required pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. RCW 38.52.070(1) (emphasis added). Reasonably read, RCW 38.52.080(1) maintains the rights and privileges of those who are rendering emergency aid within the scope of their employment but outside the territorial boundaries of their political subdivision (1) in response to a mutual aid agreement, or (2) in response to their employer's order as part of an emergency management plan response. We find no conflict.