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Interstate civil defense and disaster compact enacted - 35 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 7111

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                               SUBCHAPTER B
                       INTERSTATE CIVIL DEFENSE AND
                             DISASTER COMPACT

     Sec.
     7111.  Interstate civil defense and disaster compact enacted.
     § 7111.  Interstate civil defense and disaster compact enacted.
        The Interstate Civil Defense and Disaster Compact is hereby
     enacted into law and entered into with all jurisdictions legally
     joining therein in the form substantially as follows:

                                Article 1

        The purpose of this compact is to provide mutual aid among
     the States in meeting any emergency or disaster from enemy
     attack or other cause (natural or otherwise), including sabotage
     and subversive acts and direct attacks by bombs, shellfire and
     atomic, radiological, chemical, bacteriological means and other
     weapons. The prompt, full and effective utilization of the
     resources of the respective States, including such resources as
     may be available from the United States Government or any other
     source are essential to the safety, care and welfare of the
     people thereof in the event of enemy action or other emergency,
     and any other resources, including personnel, equipment or
     supplies, shall be incorporated into a plan or plans of mutual
     aid to be developed among the civil defense agencies or similar
     bodies of the States that are parties hereto. The directors of
     civil defense of all party States shall constitute a committee
     to formulate plans and to take all necessary steps for the
     implementation of this compact.

                                Article 2

        It shall be the duty of each party State to formulate civil
     defense plans and programs for application within such State.
     There shall be frequent consultation between the representatives
     of the States and with the United States Government and the free
     exchange of information and plans, including inventories of any
     materials and equipment available for civil defense. In carrying
     out such civil defense plans and programs, the party States
     shall, so far as possible, provide and follow uniform standards,
     practices and rules and regulations including:
        (a)  Insignia, arm bands and any other distinctive articles
     to designate and distinguish the different civil defense
     services.
        (b)  Blackouts and practice blackouts, air raid drills,
     mobilization of civil defense forces, and other tests and
     exercises.
        (c)  Warnings and signals for drills or attacks and the
     mechanical devices to be used in connection therewith.
        (d)  The effective screening or extinguishing of all lights
     and lighting devices and appliances.
        (e)  Shutting off water mains, gas mains, electric power
     connections, and the suspension of all other utility services.
        (f)  All materials or equipment used or to be used for civil
     defense purposes in order to assure that such materials and
     equipment will be easily and freely interchangeable when used in
     or by any other party State.
        (g)  The conduct of civilians and the movement and cessation
     of movement of pedestrians and vehicular traffic prior, during
     and subsequent to drills or attacks.
        (h)  The safety of public meetings or gatherings.
        (i)  Mobile support units.

                                Article 3

        Any party State requested to render mutual aid shall take
     such action as is necessary to provide and make available the
     resources covered by this compact in accordance with the terms
     hereof: Provided, That it is understood that the State rendering
     aid may withhold resources to the extent necessary to provide
     reasonable protection for such State. Each party State shall
     extend to the civil defense forces of any other party State
     while operating within its State limits under the terms and
     conditions of this compact, the same powers (except that of
     arrest, unless specifically authorized by the receiving State),
     duties, rights, privileges and immunities as if they were
     performing their duties in the State in which normally employed
     or rendering services. Civil defense forces will continue under
     the command and control of their regular leaders but the
     organizational units will come under the operational control of
     the civil defense authorities of the State receiving assistance.

                                Article 4

        Whenever any person holds a license, certificate or other
     permit issued by any State evidencing the meeting of
     qualifications for professional, mechanical or other skills,
     such person may render aid involving such skill in any party
     State to meet an emergency or disaster and such State shall give
     due recognition to such license, certificate or other permit as
     if issued in the State in which aid is rendered.

                                Article 5

        No party State or its officers or employees rendering aid in
     another State pursuant to this compact shall be liable on
     account of any act or omission in good faith on the part of such
     forces while so engaged or on account of the maintenance or use
     of any equipment or supplies in connection therewith.

                                Article 6

        Inasmuch as it is probable that the pattern and detail of the
     machinery for mutual aid among two or more States may differ
     from that appropriate among other States party hereto, this
     instrument contains elements of a broad base common to all
     States and nothing herein contained shall preclude any State
     from entering into supplementary agreements with another State
     or States. Such supplementary agreements may comprehend but
     shall not be limited to provisions for evacuation and reception
     of injured and other persons and the exchange of medical, fire,
     police, public utility, reconnaissance, welfare, transportation
     and communications personnel, equipment and supplies.

                                Article 7

        Each party State shall provide for the payment of
     compensation and death benefits to injured members of the civil
     defense forces of that State and the representatives of deceased
     members of such forces in case such members sustain injuries or
     are killed while rendering aid pursuant to this compact in the
     same manner and on the same terms as if the injury or death were
     sustained within such State.

                                Article 8

        Any party State rendering aid in another State pursuant to
     this compact shall be reimbursed by the party State receiving
     such aid for any loss or damage to or expense incurred in the
     operation of any equipment answering a request for aid and for
     the cost incurred in connection with such requests: Provided,
     That any aiding party State may assume in whole or in part such
     loss, damage, expense or other cost, or may loan such equipment
     or donate such services to the receiving party State without
     charge or cost: And, provided further, That any two or more
     party States may enter into supplementary agreements
     establishing a different allocation of costs as among those
     States. The United States Government may relieve the party State
     receiving aid from any liability and reimburse the party State
     supplying civil defense forces for the compensation paid to and
     the transportation, subsistence and maintenance expenses of such
     forces during the time of the rendition of such aid or
     assistance outside the State and may also pay fair and
     reasonable compensation for the use or utilization of the
     supplies, materials, equipment or facilities so utilized or
     consumed.

                                Article 9

        Plans for the orderly evacuation and reception of the
     civilian population as the result of an emergency or disaster
     shall be worked out from time to time between representatives of
     the party States and the various local civil defense areas
     thereof. Such plans shall include the manner of transporting
     such evacuees, the number of evacuees to be received in
     different areas, the manner in which food, clothing, housing,
     and medical care will be provided, the registration of the
     evacuees, the providing of facilities for the notification of
     relatives or friends and the forwarding of such evacuees to
     other areas, or the bringing in of additional materials,
     supplies and all other relevant factors. Such plans shall
     provide that the party State receiving evacuees shall be
     reimbursed generally for the out-of-pocket expenses incurred in
     receiving and caring for such evacuees, for expenditures for
     transportation, food, clothing, medicines and medical care and
     like items. Such expenditures shall be reimbursed by the party
     State of which the evacuees are residents or by the United
     States Government under plans approved by it. After the
     termination of the emergency or disaster the party State of
     which the evacuees are resident shall assume the responsibility
     for the ultimate support or repatriation of such evacuees.

                                Article 10

        This compact shall be available to any State, territory or
     possession of the United States and the District of Columbia.
     The term "State" may also include any neighboring foreign
     country or province or state thereof.

                                Article 11

        The committee established pursuant to Article 1 of this
     compact may request the Civil Defense Agency of the United
     States Government to act as an informational and coordinating
     body under this compact and representatives of such agency of
     the United States Government may attend meetings of such
     committee.

                                Article 12

        This compact shall become operative immediately upon its
     ratification by any State as between it and any other State or
     States so ratifying, and shall be subject to approval by
     Congress unless prior Congressional approval has been given.
     Duly authenticated copies of this compact and of such
     supplementary agreements as may be entered into shall, at the
     time of their approval, be deposited with each of the party
     States and with the Civil Defense Agency and other appropriate
     agencies of the United States Government.

                                Article 13

        This compact shall continue in force and remain binding on
     each party State until the Legislature or the Governor of such
     party State takes action to withdraw therefrom. Such action
     shall not be effective until 30 days after notice thereof has
     been sent by the Governor of the party State desiring to
     withdraw to the Governors of all other party States.

                                Article 14

        This compact shall be construed to effectuate the purposes
     stated in Article 1. If any provision of this compact is
     declared unconstitutional or the applicability thereof to any
     person or circumstance is held invalid, the constitutionality of
     the remainder of this compact and the applicability thereof to
     other persons and circumstances shall not be affected thereby.

Last modified: November 27, 2007