§ 7504. Coordination, assistance and mutual aid.

(a) Responsibility for direction and coordination.-- Direction of disaster emergency management services is the responsibility of the lowest level of government affected. When two or more political subdivisions within a county are affected, the county organization shall exercise responsibility for coordination and support to the area of operations. When two or more counties are involved, coordination shall be provided by the agency or by area organizations established by the agency.

(b) Assistance from higher government unit.--When all appropriate locally available forces and resources are fully committed by the affected political subdivision, assistance from a higher level of government shall be provided.

(c) Municipal mutual aid agreements.--County and local coordinators of emergency management shall develop mutual aid agreements with adjacent political subdivisions for reciprocal emergency assistance. The agreements shall be consistent with the plans and programs of the agency. In disaster emergencies, requests for mutual aid assistance shall be referred to the organization having responsibility for coordination as specified in subsection (a) and in time of emergency it shall be the duty of each local organization to render assistance in accordance with the provisions of the mutual aid agreements.

(d) Interstate mutual aid arrangements.--The coordinator of each local organization may, subject to approval of the Governor, enter into mutual aid arrangements with similar agencies or organizations in other states for reciprocal disaster emergency services.

(e) Ratification of agreements.--Mutual aid agreements shall be ratified by the governing bodies of the political subdivisions involved.

(f) Control of outside support forces.--Support forces furnished political subdivisions from outside its jurisdiction shall be under the operational control of the department, agency or office furnishing the force.

Cross References. Section 7504 is referred to in section 7707 of this title.