Governor signs Griffey bill to continue fire service mobilizations during state emergencies

Gov. Jay Inslee has signed legislation sponsored by Rep. Dan Griffey that will repeal the expiration date for fire service mobilizations during state emergencies.

When a local jurisdiction needs assistance beyond the capabilities of local resources during emergencies, a request may be made to the Chief of the Washington State Patrol for a state mobilization of fire services. During the Oso landslide incident in 2014, a fire services mobilization request was denied because the request was not firefighting related. In response, Griffey cosponsored legislation in 2015 that redefined “mobilization” to include all hazards, whether they be firefighting-related or not.

The all-hazard fire mobilization process approved in 2015 was set to expire later this year. Griffey’s House Bill 1170 eliminates the expiration date.

“The all-hazards mobilization process is a critical tool in our state’s emergency preparedness toolkit,” said Griffey, R-Allyn. “Not only has this served our state well in battling the recent monster wildfire seasons we’ve experienced, but it sets us up for a robust emergency response in the event of another large-scale disaster, like what happened in Oso.”

House Bill 1170 will take effect July 1, 2019.

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Washington State House Republican Communications
houserepublicans.wa.gov