§ 29-22-103 — Emergency response authority may request assistance

(1) Any
emergency response authority that, in its judgment, does not have the equipment,
personnel, or expertise necessary to handle a particular hazardous substance
incident may make a request to any public agency or private entity possessing such
necessary equipment, personnel, or expertise to provide assistance to such
emergency response authority.

(2) (a) Any emergency response authority designated in or pursuant to
section 29-22-102 may request the department of public health and environment
and the county or district public health agency to provide assistance. If there is no
county or district public health agency for the area in which a hazardous substance
incident occurs, such request may be made to the board of county commissioners in
its capacity as the county board of health or to the mayor and council or trustees in
their capacity as the municipal board of health. In addition, any other state or local
agency with useful expertise shall have the authority, upon request, to provide
assistance to and cooperate with the emergency response authority designated in
or pursuant to section 29-22-102.

(b) The department of public safety is hereby authorized to organize, through
mutual aid or other agreements, a state emergency response team and regional
emergency response teams. The state team may consist of any federal, state, local,
or private entities that have the appropriately trained personnel and the necessary
equipment to respond on a statewide basis to a hazardous substance incident. The
regional teams may consist of any federal, state, local, or private entities that have
the appropriately trained personnel and the necessary equipment to respond on a
regional basis to a hazardous substance incident and to assist the state team in
responding on a statewide basis to a hazardous substance incident. The state and
regional teams shall be available to respond to hazardous substance incidents upon
request made to the department of public safety by an emergency response
authority. The emergency response authority that requests a response by the state
emergency response team, a regional emergency response team, or both shall
assure that the reasonable and documented costs of the team's or teams' response
are included in any reimbursement for costs sought in accordance with this article.
The emergency response authority shall distribute any such reimbursement that is
made to it on a pro rata basis to each entity that made up the emergency response
team or teams that responded to a hazardous substance incident.

(3) Any municipal or county governing body, emergency response authority,
private entity, the Colorado state patrol, or the department of public safety may
enter into mutual aid or other agreements for the purpose of providing or
conducting the emergency response to hazardous substance incidents. Such
agreements may include procedures for utilizing equipment, personnel, and
technical assistance.

Legislative History

Source: L. 83: Entire article R&RE, p. 1218, � 1, effective July 1. L. 94: (2)(a) amended, p. 2797, � 553, effective July 1. L. 99: (1), (2)(b), and (3) amended, p. 434, � 2, effective April 30. L. 2010: (2)(a) amended, (HB 10-1422), ch. 419, p. 2117, � 159, effective August 11. L. 2016: (3) amended, (HB 16-1046), ch. 60, p. 158, � 2, effective March 31.