Mutual Aid Agreements

Mutual aid plays a vital role in strengthening emergency response by enabling jurisdictions to share resources, expertise, and personnel. Whether the need arises within a single state, across state lines, or between nations, mutual aid agreements ensure support is available when and where it’s needed most.

Explore the three primary types — Intrastate, Interstate, and International Mutual Aid — to understand how each contributes to a more resilient and collaborative emergency management system.

Automatic mutual aid enables the immediate dispatch of resources—such as personnel, equipment, or vehicles—across jurisdictional lines without requiring incident-specific approval.

These pre-arranged agreements ensure a rapid response to emergencies by streamlining deployment procedures between closely aligned agencies.

Local mutual aid agreements are typically made between neighboring jurisdictions or organizations. While they may still involve pre-approval, these agreements often cover a wider area than automatic aid and allow for collaboration during incidents that exceed a single agency’s capacity.

Regional mutual aid involves multiple jurisdictions within a defined sub-state area, often coordinated by a regional emergency management entity or planning body. These agreements are designed to facilitate the sharing of resources and expertise during large-scale incidents affecting multiple communities.

Statewide or intrastate mutual aid agreements are comprehensive arrangements - often coordinated by the state - that bring together both state and local resources.

These frameworks enhance overall statewide preparedness and ensure that support is available wherever and whenever it is needed within the state, territory, or district.

EMAC is the nation's premier interstate mutual aid agreement, providing a proven framework for states, territories, and the District of Columbia to share resources during governor declared emergencies or disasters.

When emergencies overwhelm a state’s capabilities, EMAC allows for the rapid deployment of personnel, equipment, and expertise across state lines - with the confidence of a legally binding agreement and cost reimbursement.

Trusted by emergency managers, governors, and federal partners alike, EMAC is a powerful example of state-led cooperation, ensuring help gets where it’s needed- swiftly, efficiently, and with accountability.

Learn more about EMAC.

The Northern Emergency Management Aassistance Compcat or NEMAC is a binational mutual aid agreement that, since its congressional ratification in January 2013 (Public Law 112‑282), empowers six U.S. states and three Canadian provinces to swiftly share personnel, equipment, and expertise across borders during emergencies.

Born from the State‑and‑Province Emergency Management Assistance Memorandum of Agreement, NEMAC enables cost‑reimbursed, legally protected cross‑border assistance—covering disasters like floods, storms, chemical spills, and terrorism.

Activation requires only a rapid request no declaration - ensuring operational expediency and strong regional coordination. By reinforcing shared training, planning, and response efforts, NEMAC enhances preparedness and resilience across the northern U.S. and Canada.

Learn more about NEMAC.

The International Emergency Management Assistance Compact (IEMAC) is a cross-border mutual aid agreement that unites the six New England states with five Eastern Canadian provinces to strengthen regional emergency response. Modeled after interstate mutual aid frameworks, IEMAC allows for the seamless sharing of resources, personnel, and expertise without requiring a state of emergency declaration—a key feature that enables faster coordination during emerging crises. Signatories include Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, along with New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Quebec, and Newfoundland and Labrador. By bridging international boundaries, IEMAC enhances preparedness, fosters strong partnerships, and ensures that help is just across the border when disaster strikes.

Learn more about IEMAC.

The Pacific Northwest Emergency Management Arrangement (PNEMA) is a binational mutual aid compact that brings together Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and the Yukon Territory to build regional resilience through cross-border collaboration.

Established under Congressional approval (P.L. 105‑381) in 1998, PNEMA functions much like EMAC-but without requiring a gubernatorial emergency declaration-allowing swift mobilization of personnel, equipment, and expertise during emergencies ranging from natural disasters to industrial incidents. Beyond rapid response, PNEMA fosters proactive emergency preparedness through joint planning, exercises, and shared operations guided by the Western Regional Emergency Management Advisory Committee (W‑REMAC).