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PURPOSE The purpose of this plan is to outline operating procedures between the Division of Forestry and the Indian River County Department of Emergency Services within the framework of the Indian River County Cooperative Agreement. The respective agencies have always responded to a mutual aid call, with written guidelines that more completely address the type and extent of cooperation between agencies, creating a more effective relationship for the citizens of Indian River County. This plan will be reviewed and updated annually. A copy should be provided to each dispatch center for personnel to review. EXISTING AGREEMENT State of Florida Cooperative Agreement between the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and Indian River County establishes 203 ,337 acres of protected forest and wildland in the county. Written agreement between DOF and DES allows DES to operate on frequencies 159.315 and 159. 405 licensed by the Division of Forestry. DES will follow procedures established by DOF for these frequencies. DES has written permission from DOF to utilize the RED, WHITE, and BLUE frequencies that are licensed by the Division of Forestry. DES will follow procedures established by the Florida Fire Chiefs Association for these frequencies. MUTUAL AID ZONES The DOF and DES will respond to any mutual aid request in any part of Indian River County, with the exception of Indian River Shores. Indian River Shores must request DES to respond to mutual aid in their city. The use of the 911 system makes DES first call. The DES will call for assistance when the forest fuels are such that water alone is not an effective means of putting the fire "dead out` and when the fire cannot be reached from the hard road. When the DOF is at a Fire Readiness Level 93 or above, DOF will call the Indian River County Sheriffs Office dispatch center and advise. The DOF will also notify when Fire Danger is critical or when Extreme Fire Behavior is expected and when 100% mop-up is needed or when the DOF should plow security lines around wildland fires suppressed by DES. (Fire Readiness Level Plan included in appendix.) Along local and county highways or other major high-speed roadways, the DOF and DES will provide all mutual assistance necessary to do 100% mop-up where the highways are prone to fog, smoke-related accidents or fires that require large volumes of water. The Division of Forestry cannot respond to hazardous material incidents. DOF personnel are not properly trained and the DOF lacks the proper safety equipment associated with hazardous materials.