(a) Pursuant to Ohio R.C. 9.60, the Division of Fire and Emergency Rescue Services is hereby authorized, upon the direction of the Chief thereof or, in his or her absence or disability, upon the direction of the person second in command or his designee in such Division, to provide fire protection to any fire-fighting agency within Summit, Medina, Wayne, Stark and Cuyahoga Counties.
(b) Pursuant to Ohio R.C. 9.60, the Division, upon the written authorization of the Safety Director, the Mayor or the acting Mayor, may provide fire protection to any fire-fighting agency within the State.
(c) Pursuant to Ohio R.C. 9.60 and this section, Council hereby authorizes the Division of Fire and Emergency Rescue Services, upon the direction of the Chief of said division, or in his or her absence or disability the officer in command in accordance with the written departmental procedures, to provide fire protection on an “automatic response basis” to the City of Akron, Township of Bath, Township of Copley, Richfield Village, City of Norton and Valley Fire District, and further to seek such reciprocal assistance on the same basis in the event of such need.
(d) Prior to issuing an order requiring the dispatch and use of personnel and equipment in the City of Akron, Township of Bath, Township of Copley, Richfield Village, City of Norton, and Valley Fire District, such officer shall first assess the safety requirements of the City in the event a need arises while personnel and equipment from the Division of Fire and Emergency Rescue Services are outside the corporate limits of the City.
(e) The Chief of the Division of Fire and Emergency Rescue Services shall establish policies and procedures with the City of Akron, Township of Bath, Township of Copley, Richfield Village, City of Norton and Valley Fire District for areas of coverage by this section and shall secure the approval of the Mayor or Safety Director of the City prior to the implementation of the same.
(f) (1) The Mayor is hereby authorized to enter into Rapid Intervention Team agreements with the political jurisdictions set forth under subsection (e) of this code section and pursuant thereto to enter into approved protocols and/or future amendments thereto for the implementation of said Rapid Intervention Team procedures.
(2) In this regard, the Chief of the Division of Fire and Emergency Rescue Services shall make recommendations to the Mayor relative to the agreement and protocol and/or any future amendments.
(g) The Mayor, upon recommendation of the Chief of the Division of Fire and Emergency Rescue Services, is authorized to enter into an agreement or agreements to facilitate the City's participation in “Ohio's Emergency Response Plan” which is designed to provide a method to activate and deliver large quantities of fire service resources to any area in Ohio once the local mutual aid systems have been exhausted.
(Ord. 2006-059. Passed 8-14-06; Ord. 2021-074. Passed 2-7-22.)