Leawood’s governing body adopted a resolution to participate in a Regional Resource Sharing Agreement and passed an ordinance amendment that clarifies the city’s ability to request or provide mutual aid without requiring a formal emergency proclamation.

Fire Chief Colin Fitzgerald said the ordinance amendment aligns the city with participating jurisdictions and the regional agreement, and that Kansas statute encourages municipalities to adopt provisions for mutual aid. The amendment adds language to the existing proclamation-of-emergency code section to allow the city to provide or receive aid more seamlessly and to expand covered services beyond traditional fire and EMS (for example, communications and clerical support) when needed.

Council members asked whether the change accomplished anything the city did not already do. Chief Fitzgerald and staff responded that the amendment ‘‘cleans up’’ the legal authority and avoids the need to convene the governing body to obtain formal declaration before requesting or providing urgent assistance.

Both the resolution and the ordinance were adopted by roll-call or voice vote as required.

Next steps: Staff and public-safety leadership will implement the terms of the regional agreement and the amended ordinance to facilitate rapid mutual aid requests and responses with participating communities.