§ 30-15-14. Interstate emergency management and disaster compact.
(a) This state hereby enacts into law and enters into the interstate emergency management
and disaster compact with all states, as defined therein, which states have enacted
or shall hereafter enact the compact in the form substantially as follows:
Article 1. The purpose of this compact is to provide mutual aid among the states in
meeting any emergency or disaster from enemy attack or other cause (natural or otherwise)
including terrorism. The prompt, full and effective utilization of the resources of
the respective states, including such resources as may be available from the United
States government or any other source, are essential to the safety, care and welfare
of the people thereof in the event of any emergency, and any other resources, including
personnel, equipment or supplies, shall be incorporated into a plan or plans of mutual
aid to be developed among various state emergency management agencies or similar bodies
of the states that are parties hereto. The directors of emergency management of all
party states shall constitute a committee to formulate plans and take all necessary
steps for the implementation of this compact.
Article 2. It shall be the duty of each party state to formulate emergency management
plans and programs for application within such state. There shall be frequent consultation
between the representatives of the states and with the federal emergency management
agency and the free exchange of information and plans, including inventories of any
materials and equipment available. In carrying out such plans and programs the party
states shall so far as possible provide and follow uniform standards, practices and
rules and regulations including:
(a) Official identification to designate and distinguish the different emergency management
services;
(b) Mobilization of emergency management forces and other tests and exercises;
(c) Warnings and signals tests, including mechanical devices to be used in connection
therewith;
(d) The effective utilization of the emergency alert system;
(e) Shutting off water mains, gas mains, electric power connections and the suspension
of all other utility services when deemed in the interest of overall public safety;
(f) All materials or equipment used or to be used for emergency management purposes in
order to assure that such materials and equipment will be easily and freely interchangeable
when used in or by any other party state;
(g) The conduct of population and the movement and cessation of movement of pedestrians
and vehicular traffic, prior, during and subsequent to drills or actual emergencies
or disasters;
(h) The safety of public meetings or gatherings; and
(i) Mobile support units.
Article 3. Any party state requested to render mutual aid shall take such action as
is necessary to provide and make available the resources covered by this compact in
accordance with the terms hereof; provided that it is understood that the state rendering
aid may withhold resources to the extent necessary to provide reasonable protection
for such state. Each party state shall extend to the emergency management forces of
any other party state, while operating within its state limits under the terms and
conditions of this compact, the same powers (except that of arrest unless specifically
authorized by the receiving state), duties, rights, privileges and immunities as if
they were performing their duties in the state in which normally employed or rendering
services, State of Rhode Island emergency management forces will continue under the
command and control of their regular leaders but the organizational units will come
under the operational control of the emergency management authorities of the state
receiving assistance.
Article 4. Whenever any person holds a license, certificate or other permit issued
by a state evidencing the meeting of qualifications for professional, mechanical or
other skills, such person may render aid involving such skill in any party state to
meet an emergency or disaster and such state shall give due recognition to such license,
certificate or other permit as if issued in the state in which aid is rendered.
Article 5. No party state or its officers or employees rendering aid in another state
pursuant to this compact shall be 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.
Article 6. Inasmuch as it is probable that the pattern and detail of the machinery
for mutual aid among two (2) or more states may differ from that appropriate among
other states party hereto, this instrument contains elements of a broad base common
to all states, and nothing herein contained shall preclude any state from entering
into supplementary agreements with another state or states. Such supplementary agreements
may comprehend, but shall not be limited to, provisions for evacuation, and reception
of injured and other persons, and the exchange of medical, fire, police, public utility,
reconnaissance, public assistance, transportation and communications personnel, equipment
and supplies.
Article 7. Each party state shall provide for the payment of compensation and death
benefits to injured members of the emergency management forces of that state and the
representatives of deceased members of such forces in case such 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 such state.
Article 8. Any party state rendering aid in another state pursuant to this compact
shall be reimbursed by the party state receiving such aid for any loss or damage to,
or expense incurred in the operation of any equipment answering a request for aid,
and for the cost incurred in connection with such request; provided, that any aiding
party state may assume in whole or in part such loss, damage, expense, or other cost,
or may loan such equipment or donate such services to the receiving party state without
charge or cost; and provided further that any two (2) or more party states may enter
into supplementary agreements establishing a different allocation of costs as among
those states. The United States government may relieve the party state receiving aid
from any liability and reimburse the party state supplying emergency management forces
for the compensation paid to and the transportation, subsistence and maintenance expenses
of such assistance during the time of the rendition of such aid or assistance outside
the state and may also pay fair and reasonable compensation for the use or utilization
of the supplies, materials, equipment or facilities so utilized or consumed.
Article 9. Plans for the orderly evacuation and reception of the general population
as the result of an emergency or disaster shall be worked out from time to time between
representatives of the party states and the various local emergency management areas
thereof. Such plans shall include the manner of transporting such evacuees, the number
of evacuees to be received in different areas, the manner in which food, clothing,
housing, and medical care will be provided, the registration of the evacuees, the
providing of facilities for the notification of relatives or friends and the forwarding
of such evacuees to other areas or the bringing in of additional materials, supplies,
and all other relevant factors. Such plans shall provide that the party state receiving
evacuees shall be reimbursed generally for the out-of-pocket expenses incurred in
receiving and caring for such evacuees, for expenditures for transportation, food,
clothing, medicines and medical care and like items. Such expenditures shall be reimbursed
by the party state of which the evacuees are residents, or by the United States government
under plans approved by it. After the termination of the emergency or disaster the
party state of which the evacuees are resident shall assume the responsibility for
the ultimate support or repatriation of such evacuees.
Article 10. This compact shall be available to any state, territory or possession
of the United States, and the District of Columbia. The term "state� may also include
any neighboring foreign country or province or state thereof.
Article 11. The committee established pursuant to article 1 of this compact may request
the civil defense agency of the United States government to act as an informational
and coordinating body under this compact, and representatives of such agency of the
United States government may attend meetings of such committee.
Article 12. This compact shall become operative immediately upon its ratification
by any state as between it and any other state or states so ratifying and shall be
subject to approval by congress unless prior congressional approval has been given.
Duly authenticated copies of this compact and of such supplementary agreements as
may be entered into shall, at the time of their approval, be deposited with each of
the party states and the Rhode Island emergency management agency and other appropriate
agencies of the United States government.
Article 13. This compact shall continue in force and remain binding on each party
state until the legislature or the governor of such party state takes action to withdraw
therefrom. Such action shall not be effective until thirty (30) days after notice
thereof has been sent by the governor of the party state desiring to withdraw to the
governors of all other party states.
Article 14. (a) This compact shall be construed to effectuate the purposes stated
in article 1 hereof. If any provision of this compact is declared unconstitutional,
or the applicability thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the constitutionality
of the remainder of this compact and the applicability thereof to other persons and
circumstances shall not be affected thereby.
(b) Nothing in subsection (a) shall be construed to limit previous or future entry into
the interstate emergency management and disaster compact of Rhode Island with other
states.
(c) If any person holds a license, certificate, or other permit issued by any other state
or political subdivision thereof evidencing the meeting of qualifications for professional,
mechanical, or other skills, the person may render aid involving that skill in Rhode
Island to meet an emergency or disaster, and this state shall give due recognition
to the license, certificate, or other permit.