Thurston County updates Region 3 mutual-aid agreement, emergency council ILA and comprehensive plan

Kyle, Thurston County Emergency Management Manager, presented three related items to the board: an updated Region 3 mutual aid agreement covering Mason, Lewis, Pacific, Grays Harbor and Thurston counties; an interlocal agreement for the Thurston County Emergency Management Council that formalizes collaboration with cities and tribes; and an updated Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP).

Region 3 mutual aid: Kyle said the mutual-aid agreement is an update of a 2008 document and that substantive operational practice has continued in the interim. He said the revised agreement clarifies language and was backdated to Jan. 1 to accommodate legal review across the five counties. "Although there is an administrative gap in the backdate, there were no operational issues," Kyle told the board.

Emergency Management Council ILA: Kyle said the interlocal agreement formalizes a collaborative emergency-management process among the county, cities and tribes that has existed informally since 1993. The ILA was reviewed by prosecuting attorneys for the county and the participating cities and tribes.

Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan: Staff described the CEMP update as a larger, county-wide document required by state law and FEMA/Department of Homeland Security grant requirements; the last full update was 2018 with a partial update in 2021.

Why it matters: The updated mutual-aid and ILA documents and the CEMP establish the legal and operational framework for coordinated disaster preparedness and response across the county and with neighboring counties. Staff told the board these documents are necessary to meet grant conditions, coordinate multi-jurisdictional response and clarify authorities during incidents.

Next steps: Staff answered routine questions and indicated the items were ready to move forward after legal review and the multi-jurisdictional sign-offs that had already been completed.