[Adopted 9-16-2002 by Ord. No. 34-02;
amended in its entirety 4-18-2022 by Ord. No. 04-22]
Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:14-156.1, there is hereby established
a mutual fire aid agreement between the Township of Washington and
the Township of Mansfield and a mutual aid agreement between the Township
of Washington and the Township of Hackettstown. There is also hereby
established a shared services agreement between the Township of Washington
and the Township of Tewksbury for the provision of firefighting services
and use of certain apparatus.
The Fire Chief of the Township of Washington, or his designee,
is authorized to request assistance from the Fire Chief or other head
of the Fire Departments of the Township of Mansfield or the Township
of Hackettstown, provided that the Township of Mansfield and Township
of Hackettstown adopt reciprocal ordinances to provide fire aid during
and after any emergency in order to protect life and property.
The Fire Chief of the Township of Washington, or his designee,
shall provide assistance to the Township of Mansfield, provided that
it accepts the terms of this agreement and makes a valid request to
supply such personnel and equipment to the extent possible without
endangering persons or property within the Township of Washington.
The members of the Washington Township Fire Department supplying such
aid shall have the same powers, authority, sights and immunities as
the members of the fire department of the municipality to which assistance
is rendered.
The Township of Washington shall, upon providing assistance
to the Township of Mansfield, assume the cost and expense of providing
its personnel and equipment to the requesting municipality, except
in such instances where the requesting municipality receives state
or federal aid by way of reimbursement. Under those circumstances,
the costs incurred by the Township of Washington shall be submitted
to the municipality requesting assistance for reimbursement out of
the funds received by way of state or federal aid.
Members of the Washington Township Fire Department suffering
injury, or their legal representatives if death results, while rendering
assistance in another municipality shall be entitled to all such benefits
they would have realized if injury or death had occurred in the performance
of normal duties within the Township of Washington.
This mutual fire aid agreement shall have an initial term of
one year and shall be automatically renewed for additional and successive
one-year terms, unless and until one of the parties hereto elects
to terminate the agreement by providing prior written notice to the
other party to the agreement.
A copy of this article shall be transmitted to the Municipal
Clerk of each municipality named herein no later than five business
days following final adoption.
