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- 83rd Session (2025)
Assembly Bill No. 57–Committee
on Government Affairs
CHAPTER..........
AN ACT relating to emergency management; revising provisions
governing the Nevada Intrastate Mutual Aid System to
require the State Forester Firewarden of the Division of
Forestry of the State Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources to administer the System as it relates to wildfire
suppression; requiring the State Forester Firewarden to serve
as Co-Chair of the Intrastate Mutual Aid Committee and
appoint committee members jointly with the Chief of the
Division of Emergency Management of the Office of the
Military; and providing other matters properly relating
thereto.
Legislative Counsel’s Digest:
Existing law establishes the Nevada Intrastate Mutual Aid System within the
Division of Emergency Management of the Office of the Military to coordinate
requests for intrastate mutual aid among various public agencies and certain Indian
tribes and nations in resp onse to an emergency or disaster in this State. Under
existing law, the Chief of the Division of Emergency Management is required to
administer the System and adopt regulations relating to the administration of the
System. (NRS 414A.100) Section 4 of this bill transfers to the State Forester
Firewarden of the Division of Forestry of the State Department of Conservation and
Natural Resources the authority to: (1) coordinate the provision of mutual aid
during the response to and recovery from wildfire suppres sion; (2) administer the
System as it relates to wildfire suppression; and (3) adopt regulations relating to the
administration of the System as it relates to wildfire suppression.
Under existing law, the Chief of the Division of Emergency Management
serves as the Chair of the Intrastate Mutual Aid Committee and appoints the
committee members, who advise the Chief on issues related to emergency
management and intrastate mutual aid. (NRS 414A.110) Under section 5 of this
bill, the State Forester Firewarden serves as Co -Chair of the Committee with the
Chief of the Division of Emergency Management and committee members must be
jointly appointed by the Chief of the Division of Emergency Management and the
State Forester Firewarden.
Under existing law, a public agency that participates in the System may elect to
withdraw from participation in the System, and any federally recognized Indian
tribe or nation within the boundaries of the State may become a participant in the
System, by adopting a resolution declari ng the same and providing a copy of the
resolution to the Division of Emergency Management and the Governor. (NRS
414A.120) Section 6 of this bill requires that a copy of such a resolution also be
provided to the Division of Forestry.
Under existing law, a participant may request intrastate mutual aid through the
Division of Emergency Management, or directly to a participant if an urgent
response is needed, and each request must be documented and forwarded to the
Division of Emergency Management within 24 hours. (NRS 414A.130) Section 7
of this bill provides that a participant may request intrastate mutual aid through the
Division of Forestry for aid relating to wildfire suppression and through the
Division of Emergency Management for aid relating to all ot her emergencies or
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disasters. Section 7 further requires that requests for aid be documented and
reported to the Division of Forestry or Division of Emergency Management, as
appropriate.
Under existing law, the Division of Emergency Management: (1) may fa cilitate
certain System participants in obtaining reimbursement for intrastate mutual aid;
and (2) is not liable for any claim relating to reimbursement. (NRS 414A.150)
Section 8 of this bill authorizes the Division of Forestry to also facilitate
reimbursement of System participants and provides immunity from liability to the
Division of Forestry for any claim relating to reimbursement.
Sections 1 and 3 of this bill define “Division of Forestry” and “Division of
Emergency Management,” respectively. Section 2 of this bill applies these
definitions to the provisions of existing law relating to the System.
EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN
SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Chapter 414A of NRS is hereby amended by
adding thereto a new section to read as follows:
“Division of Forestry” means the Division of Forestry of the
State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Sec. 2. NRS 414A.010 is hereby amended to read as follows:
414A.010 As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise
requires, the words and terms defined in NRS 414A.015 to
414A.070, inclusive, and section 1 of this act have the meanings
ascribed to them in those sections.
Sec. 3. NRS 414A.025 is hereby amended to read as follows:
414A.025 [“Division”] “Division of Emergency
Management” means the Division of Emergency Management of
the Office of the Military.
Sec. 4. NRS 414A.100 is hereby amended to read as follows:
414A.100 1. The Nevada Intrastate Mutual Aid System is
hereby established [within the Division.] and must, in accordance
with the provisions of this chapter, be administered by:
(a) The Chief of the Division of Emergency Management for
coordinating mutual aid rel ating to all emergencies or disasters
other than wildfire suppression; and
(b) The State Forester Firewarden for coordinating mutual aid
relating to wildfire suppression.
2. [The] Except as provided in subsection 3, the Chief of the
Division [,] of Emer gency Management, subject to the direction
and control of the Adjutant General of the Office of the Military,
[shall administer the System pursuant to the provisions of this
chapter and] shall:
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(a) Coordinate the provision of mutual aid during the respons e
to and recovery from an emergency or disaster;
(b) Maintain records of the requests for and provision of mutual
aid throughout this State;
(c) Identify, maintain an inventory of and coordinate participant
personnel and equipment available for intrastat e mutual aid
response;
(d) Provide information and assistance, upon request, to
participants concerning reimbursement for services and other
guidelines and procedures developed by the Intrastate Mutual Aid
Committee pursuant to subsection 4 of NRS 414A.110; and
(e) Adopt regulations relating to the administration of the
System.
3. The State Forester Firewarden, subject to the direction of
the Director of the State Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources, shall:
(a) Coordinate the provision of mutual aid during the response
to and recovery from wildfire suppression;
(b) Maintain records of the requests for and provision of
mutual aid in response to wildfire suppression throughout this
State;
(c) Identify, mainta in an inventory of and coordinate
participant personnel and equipment available for intrastate
mutual aid response to wildfire suppression;
(d) Upon request, p rovide information and assistance to
participants concerning reimbursement for services provided in
response to wildfire suppression and any guidelines and
procedures developed by the Intrastate Mutual Aid Committee
pursuant to subsection 4 of NRS 414A.110 with regard to wildfire
suppression; and
(e) Adopt regulations relating to the administration of the
System with regard to wildfire suppression.
Sec. 5. NRS 414A.110 is hereby amended to read as follows:
414A.110 1. The Intrastate Mutual Aid Committee is hereby
created. The Committee shall advise the Chief of the Division of
Emergency Manageme nt and the State Forester Firewarden on
issues related to emergency management and intrastate mutual aid in
this State.
2. The Committee consists of the following members:
(a) The Chief of the Division [,] of Emergency Management, or
his or her designee, who serves as the [Chair] Co-Chair of the
Committee and is a nonvoting member; [and]
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(b) The State Forester Firewarden, or his or her designee, who
serves as the Co-Chair of the Committee and is a nonvoting
member; and
(c) Not more than 19 voting members, each of whom:
(1) Is appointed jointly by the Chief of the Division [;] of
Emergency Management and the State Forester Firewarden;
(2) Is selected from participating public agencies or tribal
governments;
(3) Must have respo nsibility for public safety programs or
activities within his or her public agency or tribe or nation; and
(4) After the initial terms, serves a term of 2 years, and may
be reappointed.
3. The Committee shall select a Vice Chair from among the
voting members of the Committee. The Vice Chair serves as Vice
Chair until the end of his or her current term as a voting member,
and may be reselected.
4. The Committee shall develop comprehensive guidelines and
procedures regarding, without limitation:
(a) Requesting intrastate mutual aid;
(b) Responding to a request for intrastate mutual aid;
(c) Recordkeeping during an emergency or disaster for which
intrastate mutual aid has been requested; and
(d) Reimbursement of costs to assisting participants.
5. The Committee shall meet at least annually to evaluate the
effectiveness and efficiency of the System and provide
recommendations, if any, to the Chief of the Division of Emergency
Management and the State Forester Firewarden to improve the
System.
Sec. 6. NRS 414A.120 is hereby amended to read as follows:
414A.120 1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2,
each public agency shall participate in the System.
2. Any participant may elect to withdraw from participation in
the System by:
(a) Adopting a resolution declaring that the participant elects not
to participate in the System; and
(b) Providing a copy of the resolution to the Division of
Emergency Management, the Division of Forestry and the
Governor.
3. Any federally recognized Indian tribe or nation, all or part of
which is located within the boundaries of this State, may choose to
become a participant in the System by:
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(a) Adopting a resolution declaring that the tribe or nation elects
to participate in the System and agreeing to be bound by the
provisions of this chapter; and
(b) Providing a copy of the resolution to the Division of
Emergency Management, the Division of Forestry and the
Governor.
4. Each participant shall:
(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection 4 of NRS
414A.140, ensure that the participant is able to provide intrastate
mutual aid in response to a request pursuant to NRS 414A.130;
(b) Provide training to each emergency responder on procedures
related to his or her respective role within the System;
(c) Actively monitor events in this State to determine the
possibility of requesting or providing intrastate mutual aid;
(d) Maintain a current list of personnel and any equipment of the
participant available for intrastate mutual aid and submit the list at
least annually to the Division [;] of Emergency Management and
the Division of Forestry;
(e) Conduct joint planning, information sharing and capability
and vulnerability analyses with other participants and conduct joint
training exercises, if practicable; and
(f) Develop, carry out and periodically revise plans of operation,
which must include, without limitation, the methods by which any
resources, facilities and services of the participant must be available
and furnished to other participants.
Sec. 7. NRS 414A.130 is hereby amended to read as follows:
414A.130 1. Any participant may request intrastate mutual
aid before, during or after a declared or undeclared emergency or
disaster for:
(a) Response, mitigation or recovery activities related to the
emergency or disaster; and
(b) Participation in drills or exercises in preparation for an
emergency or disaster.
2. A participant may make a request for intrastate mutual aid:
(a) [Through] Relating to all emergencies or disasters other
than wildfire suppression, through the Division [;] of Emergency
Management;
(b) Relating to wildfire suppression , through the Division of
Forestry; or
[(b)] (c) If an urgent response is needed, directly to a
participant, except that any request for a responding state agency
must be made as provided in paragraph (a) [.] or (b), as applicable.
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3. Each request for intrastate mutual aid must be documented
and forwa rded [to the Division ] not more than 24 hours after the
request is made [.] to:
(a) The Division of Emergency Management for aid relating to
all emergencies or disasters other than wildfire suppression; and
(b) The Division of Forest ry for aid relating t o wildfire
suppression.
4. A requesting participant shall:
(a) Adequately describe the resources needed by the requesting
participant;
(b) Provide logistical and technical support, as needed, to any
emergency responders provided by an assisting participant; and
(c) Reimburse the assisting participant for costs incurred, if
applicable, by the assisting participant in a timely manner.
Sec. 8. NRS 414A.150 is hereby amended to read as follows:
414A.150 1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 3,
within 10 business days after the completion of all activities taken in
response to a request for intrastate mutual aid, each assisting
participant shall provide a written notice to the requesting
participant if the assisting participant intends to seek reimbursement
from the requesting participant.
2. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 3, within 60
calendar days after the completion of the activities specified in
subsection 1, the assisting participant shall provide to the requesting
participant a final request for reimbursement which must include:
(a) A summary of the services provided;
(b) An invoice setting forth all services provided and the total
amount of the reimbursement requested;
(c) Any supporting documentation;
(d) Any additional forms required by the System; and
(e) The name and contact information of a person to contact if
more information is needed.
3. If an assisting participant requires additional time to comply
with the provisions of subsection 1 or 2, the assis ting participant
must request an extension in writing from the requesting participant.
A requesting participant may, for good cause shown, grant an
extension for an additional reasonable period.
4. A requesting participant shall reimburse an assisting
participant for all reasonable costs incurred by the assisting
participant in responding to the request for intrastate mutual aid,
including, without limitation, any costs related to the use of
personnel and equipment and travel. All costs must be documented
in order to be eligible for reimbursement pursuant to this section,
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unless otherwise agreed upon by the requesting participant and
assisting participant. Any costs associated with resources which
were used without request are not eligible for reimbursement.
5. Reimbursement may be facilitated upon request through
[the] :
(a) The Division [, upon request. ] of Emergency Management
for aid relating to all emergencies or disasters other than wildfire
suppression; and
(b) The Division of Forestry for aid relating to wildfire
suppression.
6. If a dispute between participants occurs regarding
reimbursement, the participant disputing the reimbursement shall
provide a written notice to the other participant setting forth the
issues in dispute. If the dispute is not resolved within 90 days after
the notice is provided, either participant may submit the matter to
binding arbitration, which must be conducted pursuant to the rules
for commercial arbitration established by the American Arbitration
Association.
7. The Division [is] of Emergency Management and the
Division of Forestry are not liable for any claim relating to the
reimbursement of costs for providing intrastate mutual aid.
Sec. 9. This act becomes effective upon passage and approval.
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