19-13-107. Emergency support task forces.

(a) The governor or his duly authorized representative and the governing bodies of political subdivisions may create and establish such number of emergency support task forces as necessary to reinforce homeland security programs in stricken areas with due consideration of the plans of the federal government and of other states. The governor or governing body of the political subdivision shall appoint for each unit a coordinator who has primary responsibility for the organization, administration and operation of the unit. Emergency support task forces shall be activated upon orders of the governor or governing body of the political subdivisions and shall perform their functions in any part of the state, or upon conditions specified in this section, in other states. The governor may remove any emergency support task force member he appoints as provided in W.S. 9-1-202.

(b) Personnel of emergency support task forces while on duty, whether within or without the state, under orders of the governor shall be paid as follows:

(i) If they are employees of the state or a political subdivision of the state, they shall continue to be paid by their employers and receive the same pay and have the same powers, duties, rights, privileges and immunities, including their rights under the Wyoming Worker's Compensation Act incident to employment;

(ii) Personnel of emergency support task forces who are not employees of the state or a political subdivision thereof, while on duty, whether within or without the state, shall be paid the current rate established by the United States department of labor in its area wage determination scale for skilled, semiskilled and unskilled workers. The wage determination shall be based upon that normally established and obtained through the office of the district engineer, corps of engineers, Omaha, Nebraska, as determined in the particular area of the state wherein the work is being or to be performed. Acceptance by the proper hiring authority of any volunteer and his services will constitute qualification of his skill and craft as set out in the wage determination scale, and the volunteer is entitled to the same rights and immunities as are provided by law for the employees of the state. In the event of injury, disability or death, such personnel shall be entitled to compensation at the same rates as provided by the Wyoming Worker's Compensation Act for like injuries, disabilities or death.