R2008-244 AUTHORIZING PARTICIPATION ILLINOIS PUBLIC WORKS MUTUAL AID NETWORK

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or federal assistance. Thus, IPWMAN is faced with a dilemma. If a responding agency does not bill the requesting agency for its personnel, equipment and materials, the responding agency may not receive funding from FEMA for work performed by the neighboring community. If the responding agency does bill the requesting agency, that agency may be pushed into further economic hardship as a result of a disaster that didn't qualify for state or federal assistance. Also, it was learned tha.t bills submitted with"a wink and a nod"to informally indicate that the bill need not be paid will receive the same response from FEMA —they won't get paid. The agency plans to check past practice to verify performance on written agreements. As a compromise, IPWMAN (with the assistance of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency) proposed a plan for reimbursement that will benefit both the requesting party and the responding party. Under the IPWMAN agreement, the responding party will provide personnel, equipment and materials for the first five (5)days of the event without reimbursement. If the requesting party requires assistance longer than five days, the responding party will bill the requesting party. The value of donated assistance helps the community requesting help in a second way: The value of the unpaid assistance may be credited to the requesting agency as part of the non- federal cost share of the requesting agency's emergency work under the provisions of Disaster Assistance Policy#9525.2., entitled "Donated Resources." FEMA reimbursement may apply only after a Presidential declaration of emergency and the following eligibility requirements: 1. The assistance must be requested by the agency in need; 2. The work performed, supplies used and materials consumed are directly related to the disaster and is otherwise eligible for FEMA assistance; 3. The entity can provide documentation of rates and payment for services, if requested; and 4. The agreement is written and was in effect prior to the disaster. 5. The One Exception: If an agency responds to a request for assistance made by the State of Illinois, the agency will be reimbursed from the first day of response. Q 14. Can the responding party be forced to work at a location other than where they were originally deployed? A. No. Although there may be times when a responding party may be relocated to better utilize the resource, the responding agency may refuse to go there. Q 12. What if an agency is part of another mutual aid agreement? Is that agreement nullified by signing this organization's Mutual Aid and Assistance Agreement? A. Signing the Illinois Public Works Mutual Aid Network Agreement does not invalidate any other mutual aid agreement. Signing the IPWMAN agreement should increase the resources available to the agency during an emergency situation. Page 4 of 5 Last Updated: 12/9l2008 4:53 PM