Scio Township supports new mutual aid agreement

In its resolution to support the establishment of the Washtenaw Area Mutual Aid Council, Scio Township said it “is routinely faced with natural and human-caused catastrophes and it is important for Scio Township to have the ability for special response capabilities along with the ability to request mutual aid from surrounding communities.”

At its Dec. 12 meeting, the Scio Township Board adopted a resolution to create the Washtenaw Area Mutual Aid Council (WAMAC). The Sun Times News followed up with Scio Township Fire Chief Andrew Houde to learn more about this.

Houde said, “This is currently being reviewed at communities throughout Washtenaw County and our close, out-of-county neighbors. When complete and approved by the state, this will replace our current mutual aid organization-the Washtenaw Area Mutual Aid Association (WAMAA).”

He said the current organization-WAMAA-was created as a 501c3, “and as such does not give the organization the same protection as a governmental authority that WAMAC will.”

In his report to the township board, Houde said the "purpose of this agreement is to establish the Washtenaw Area Mutual Aid Council to meet the needs of all Washtenaw County and nearby fire departments and provide for the purchase and ownership of equipment, property, buildings, and apparatus, payment of obligations and the hiring of necessary staff. He said the activities and services to be provided shall include, but are not limited to, the joint ownership and operation of equipment, and the standardization of policies amongst the governmental units, which are parties hereto, which policies will afford and promote effective fire and rescue services within the governmental entities which are parties to this agreement."

Houde said the current Washtenaw County fire service mutual aid agreement and technical response team is organized as a non-profit organization under the Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c) (3). This structure offers no governmental immunity to this organization. He said the technical response team owns significant assets and responds to complex incidents creating significant risk.

“All assets of the current organization will be transferred to this new entity, and the nonprofit organization will be dissolved,” Houde said of the proposed new agreement.

“WAMAA, and when formed, WAMAC, is the primary mutual aid agreement that allows communities to share resources when a local fire department is overwhelmed and needs help,” said Houde. “All communities will continue to see the same benefit in mutual aid response under WAMAC as under WAMAA.”

In his report, Houde said “WAMAC shall oversee and be responsible for a Technical Rescue Team, a Swift Water Rescue Team and any future specialized county fire rescue team (collectively, “Technical Response” team or teams) that is made up of shared public resources and which are public safety first responders. WAMAC can and may collect fees and donations to support specialized teams, conduct training and sponsor events, and will act as the fiduciary for the specialized teams, related training, and sponsoring fire events.

He said the mission of the “Technical Response teams is to provide the citizens of Washtenaw County and of Southeastern Michigan with advanced technical rescue response. These teams expand and enhance the capabilities of fire-rescue response for confined space rescue, high angle rescue, and urban search and rescue when deployed to natural and man-made disasters.”

Here is the list, according to Houde, of the member communities pending adoption by their respective governmental bodies: Charter Township of Ann Arbor, the Charter Township of Augusta, the Charter Township of Green Oak, the Charter Township of Pittsfield, the Charter Township of Superior, the Charter Township of Van Buren, the Charter Township of Ypsilanti, the Chelsea Area Fire Authority, the City of Belleville, the City of Ypsilanti, the Village of Clinton, the Dexter Area Fire Department, Clinton Township (Lenawee County), Hamburg Township, Manchester Township, Milan Area Fire Department, Northfield Township, Salem Township, Saline Area Fire Department, Scio Township, and Sumpter Township.

Houde said the only real change is how the mutual aid organization is structured; “all departments that participate will have the same rights, responsibilities, and costs.” He said residents will see no change at all in service delivery.