How Mutual Aid Works

When a disaster or emergency exceeds what a single county can handle, NAMAA’s mutual aid process activates. Here’s how it works, from the initial call for help through resource deployment and return.

Step-By-Step Process

1
Determine the need
The local EMA Director and Incident Commander assess the disaster together. If county resources are depleted or insufficient, they decide to request regional mutual aid.
2
Submit the request
The requesting county completes a Mutual Aid Resource Request Form and submits it to the NAMAA Resource Coordinator, followed by a phone or radio confirmation.
3
Coordinate resources
The Resource Coordinator determines which member counties can provide the requested resources and reaches out to them for availability.
4
Accept or decline
The requesting county reviews offered resources — including descriptions, capabilities, and expected costs — and decides whether to accept or decline each one.
5
Deploy resources
The assisting county mobilizes accepted resources with deployment packages including maps, instructions, and record-keeping forms. Resources travel to the designated staging area.
6
Check in and task
Arriving resources report to the Staging Area Officer for check-in and credential verification. The Incident Commander then assigns tasks.
7
Monitor and support
The requesting county provides situation awareness updates to AEMA and the NAMAA Resource Coordinator. Food and housing are provided for assisting personnel.
8
Release and return
When the mission is complete, the Incident Commander releases the resource. Personnel check out, confirm equipment is returned, and head home.
9
Invoice and reimburse
Assisting counties compile invoices covering labor, equipment, and related costs. These are submitted to the requesting county for verification and payment.

Key Roles

  • Typically the NAMAA President. Receives mutual aid requests, coordinates resource procurement across counties, and serves as the central point of communication between requesting and assisting counties.

  • Represents the county in need. Determines mutual aid is necessary, submits the formal request, manages incoming resources, and handles invoicing and payment.

  • Represents a county providing help. Evaluates available resources, mobilizes personnel and equipment, ensures insurance and documentation are in order, and compiles cost invoices after the response

  • The personnel or equipment sent from the assisting county. Reports to the staging area, takes assignments from the requesting county’s Incident Commander, maintains records, and returns home upon release.

Important Notes

•         All mutual aid operations follow the National Incident Management System (NIMS).

•         Assisting county resources remain under the direct supervision of their own designated supervisory personnel, even while under the operational control of the requesting county.

•         Unsolicited resources arriving at the staging area will be refused and directed to contact their home county EMA Director.

•         If no counties in the region can fulfill the request, the Resource Coordinator forwards it to the Alabama Emergency Management Agency (AEMA) on behalf of the requesting county.

•         This plan supplements existing mutual aid agreements — it does not replace them.