Is there any potential conflict between SMA and existing mutual aid agreements?
No. The SMA Committee was very careful to emphasize that the program is not intended to interfere or conflict in any way with existing reciprocal mutual aid agreements between neighboring jurisdictions or other mutual aid arrangements already in place and working. In fact, we encourage localities and state agencies to keep such agreements in place. The primary intent of SMA is to make local resources more easily available statewide should they be needed in response to a major disaster and, in so doing, to minimize otherwise problematic issues related to insurance, liability and reimbursement.
