Glossary

Mutual Aid Support System

With regard to EMAC, any of the fifty United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. 

A document that describes a bi- or multilateral agreement between parties (Wikipedia). It may be used in states where there is no intrastate mutual aid agreement established that includes a provision making local personnel “agents of the state” so that they may deploy legally under EMAC.

The documentation issued to resources at the pre-deployment briefing that authorizes the deployment.

Specific response and recovery resource capabilities that are organized, developed, trained, and exercised prior to an emergency or disaster. Mission Ready Packages are based on NIMS resource typing but take the concept one step further by considering the mission, limitations that might impact the mission, required support, the footprint of the space needed to stage and complete the mission, and the estimated cost. MRPs are developed in cooperation with resource providers and coordinated with state emergency management agencies.

The first stage of the Response phase of the EMAC process, when resources (personnel and equipment) are assembled and prepare to deploy into an affected area.

Master Scenario Events List

Montana Disaster & Emergency Services Division

An agreement to lend assistance across jurisdictional boundaries. In its broadest sense, mutual aid may be considered “neighbor helping neighbor.”  When formalized, mutual aid agreements provide a basic understanding between parties involved that the assisting jurisdiction will help the requesting jurisdiction if it is possible and reasonable.