HomeMy WebLinkAboutMutal Emergeny Services_Oshkosh_Nekimi_AF_20251
MUTUAL AID IN FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES (US)
BETWEEN
THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
AND
THE CITY OF OSHKOSH
FOR THE CITY OF OSHKOSH FIRE DEPARTMENT
AND
THE TOWN OF NEKIMI
FOR THE TOWN OF NEKIMI FIRE DEPARTMENT
This Mutual Aid Agreement (the “Agreement”), is made and entered into this 1st day of July
2025, between the Secretary of the Air Force (the “Air Force”) acting by and through the
Commanders of the 115th Fighter Wing (115FW), 128th Air Refueling Wing (128ARW), and Volk
Field Air National Guard Base (Volk ANGB) pursuant to the authority of 42 U.S.C. §1856a, and
the City of Oshkosh for the Oshkosh Fire Department (the “Oshkosh Fire Department”) and the
Town of Nekimi for the Nekimi Fire Department (the “Nekimi Fire Department”). Together the
Air Force, the City of Oshkosh and the Town of Nekimi are hereinafter referred to as the
“Parties,” and individually as a “Party.”
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, each of the Parties hereto maintain equipment and personnel for the suppression of
fires and the management of other emergency incidents occurring within areas under their
respective jurisdictions; and
WHEREAS, as set forth in 42 U.S.C. §1856 the term ‘fire protection’ includes personal services
and equipment required for fire prevention, the protection of life and property from fire,
firefighting, and emergency services, including basic medical support, basic and advanced life
support, hazardous material containment and confinement, and special rescue incidents involving
vehicular and water mishaps, and trench, building, and confined space extractions; and
WHEREAS, annually the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) holds EAA AirVenture, an
air show and aviation gathering, at Wittman Regional airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, for which
the Oshkosh Fire Department and Town of Nekimi have Fire and Emergency Services
jurisdiction; and
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WHEREAS, the EAA AirVenture is scheduled to take place for the following dates: 21-27 July
2025, 20-26 July 2026, 26 July – 1 August 2027, and will continue annually thereafter for 6-7
days each year; and
WHEREAS, the Wisconsin National Guard (WING) historically has both Wisconsin Air
National Guard and Wisconsin Army National Guard aircraft that participate in the EAA
AirVenture; and
WHEREAS, it is in the interest of the WING to have Wisconsin Air National Guard fire and
emergency services personnel and equipment from the 115FW, 128ARW, and/or Volk ANGB
available at Wittman Regional Airport during EAA AirVenture; and
WHEREAS, the Parties hereto desire to augment the fire protection capabilities available during
EAA AirVenture by entering into this Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants, obligations and agreements
herein established, the Parties hereby agree as follows:
a. The authority to enter into this Agreement is set forth in 42 U.S.C. § 1856a, and Title 15
United States Code Section 2210, the regulations implementing same at Title 44 Code of Federal
Regulations Part 151 Emergency Management and Assistance and DAFI 32-2001, F&ES
Program 2.
b. This Agreement will serve as the agreement between the Parties for securing to each mutual
aid in fire protection services as defined above.
c. On request to a representative of the 115FW, 128ARW, or Volk ANGB fire department by a
representative of the Oshkosh Fire Department or Nekimi Fire Department, fire protection
equipment and personnel of the 115FW, 128ARW, or Volk ANGB fire department will be
dispatched to any point within the area for which the Oshkosh Fire Department or Nekimi Fire
Department normally provides fire protection services during EAA AirVenture, which shall
include the days before and after EAA AirVenture used for preparation and return from EAA
AirVenture by Air Force assets, as designated by the representatives of the Oshkosh Fire
Department or Nekimi Fire Department.
d. On request to a representative of the Oshkosh Fire Department or Nekimi Fire Department by
a representative of the 115FW, 128ARW, or Volk ANGB fire department, fire protection
equipment and personnel of the Oshkosh Fire Department or Nekimi Fire Department will be
dispatched to any point within the jurisdiction of the 115FW, 128ARW, or Volk ANGB as
designated by the representative of the 115FW, 128ARW, or Volk ANGB fire department.
e. Any dispatch of equipment and personnel by the Parties pursuant to this Agreement is subject
to the following conditions:
(1) Any request for aid hereunder will include a statement of the amount and type of
equipment and personnel requested and will specify the location to which the equipment and
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personnel are to be dispatched, but the amount and type of equipment and the number of
personnel to be furnished will be determined by the responding organization. The requesting
organization will ensure access to site for the responding organization.
(2) The responding organization will report to the officer in charge of the requesting
organization at the location to which the equipment is dispatched, and will be subject to the
orders of that official.
(3) The responding organization will be released by the requesting organization when the
services of the responding organization are no longer required or when the responding
organization is needed within the area for which it normally provides fire protection.
(4) Sharing of non-encrypted Radio Frequencies/INTEROPERABILITY capability between
agencies specifically during Mutual Aids for accountability of personnel and assets, including
sharing of valuable information between Incident Command and firefighters.
(5). HAZMAT incident response will include the response to, and control and containment of
any release or suspected release of any material suspected to be or known to be hazardous.
Where the properties of a released material are not known, it will be considered hazardous
until proven otherwise by the requesting organization using all technical resources available.
Cleanup and removal of contained HAZMAT will be the responsibility of the requesting
organization.
(6) In the event of a crash of an aircraft owned or operated by the United States or military
aircraft of any foreign nation within the area for which the Oshkosh Fire Department or
Nekimi Fire Department normally provides fire protection services, the chief of the 115FW,
128ARW, or Volk ANGB fire department or his or her representative may assume full
command on arrival at the scene of the crash.
(7) Regardless of local agencies assigning an incident safety officer, an Air Force
representative will be assigned to act as the incident safety officer for the 115FW, 128ARW,
or Volk ANGB to observe Air Force support and operations at an incident. Local agencies are
encouraged to assign a safety officer to observe the agencies support and operations at an
incident on the installation.
f. Each Party hereby agrees that its intent with respect to the rendering of assistance to the other
Party under this Agreement is not to seek reimbursement from the Party requesting such
assistance.
(1) Notwithstanding the above, the Parties hereby recognize that pursuant to the Section 11 of the
Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. § 2210) and Federal regulations
issued there under (44 Code of Federal Regulations Part 151), Oshkosh Fire Department or
Nekimi Fire Department is permitted to seek reimbursement for all or any part of its direct
expenses and losses (defined as additional firefighting costs over normal operational costs)
incurred in fighting fires on property under the jurisdiction of the United States. Furthermore,
under the authority of 42 U.S.C. § 1856a, and pursuant to any applicable state or local IAW each
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Party hereby reserves the right to seek reimbursement from the other for all or any part of the
costs (defined as additional firefighting costs over normal operational costs) incurred by it in
providing fire protection services to the other Party(ies) in response to a request for assistance.
(2) Furthermore, the City of Oshkosh and the Town of Nekimi agree to indemnify and hold
harmless the United States from any liability that may arise from the use of firefighting foams,
chemicals, or other materials by the Air Force in providing fire protection services to the
Oshkosh Fire Department and the Nekimi Fire Department, which agreement to indemnify and
hold harmless includes, but is not limited to, such uses that may result in hazardous substance
exposure or pollution of or contamination to air, land, water, person or property or such uses that
may result in response actions under CERCLA, RCRA, or any other federal, state, or local laws.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, termination of this Agreement shall in
no way affect the City of Oshkosh and the Town of Nekimi’s obligation under this paragraph to
indemnify and hold harmless the United States from any liability that may arise from the use of
firefighting foams, chemicals, or other materials by the Air Force in providing fire protection
services to the Oshkosh Fire Department and the Nekimi Fire Department, which obligation shall
survive such termination.
g. Both Parties agree to implement the National Incident Management System during all
emergency responses on and off Installations IAW National Fire Protection Association Standard
1561.
h. Each Party waives all claims against the other Party for compensation for any loss, damage,
personal injury, or death occurring as a consequence of the performance of this Agreement. This
provision does not waive any right of reimbursement pursuant to paragraph f.
i. All equipment used by the Oshkosh Fire Department and the Nekimi Fire Department in
carrying out this Agreement will, at the time of action hereunder, be owned by it; and all
personnel acting for the Oshkosh Fire Department and the Nekimi Fire Department under this
Agreement will, at the time of such action, be an employee or volunteer member of the Oshkosh
Fire Department and the Nekimi Fire Department.
j. The rendering of assistance under the terms of this Agreement will not be mandatory; however,
the Party receiving a request for assistance will endeavor to immediately inform the requesting
Party if the requested assistance cannot be provided and, if assistance can be provided, the
quantity of such resources as may be dispatched in response to such request.
k. Neither Party will hold the other Party liable or at fault for failing to respond to any request for
assistance or for failing to respond to such a request in a timely manner or with less than
optimum equipment and/or personnel, it being the understanding of the Parties that each is
primarily and ultimately responsible for the provision of fire protection services needed within
their own jurisdictions.
l. Disputes. Parties to Negotiate. If a dispute should arise, the Parties agree to first attempt to
resolve the dispute using unassisted negotiation techniques (i.e., without the assistance of a
neutral third party). Either Party may request in writing that unassisted negotiations commence.
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As part of the unassisted negotiation, the Parties shall consider employing joint fact-finding, if
material factual disputes are involved, and shall use other early resolution techniques appropriate
to the circumstances. If the dispute involves material issues of fact, the Parties may employ a
neutral third party to provide a confidential evaluation of the issues of fact.
m. Alternative Dispute Resolution.
1. If the dispute is not resolved within sixty (60) days after the request for unassisted
negotiations, and the Parties do not mutually agree to continue the unassisted negotiations, the
Parties shall employ alternative dispute resolution procedures involving nonbinding mediation
of the dispute by a neutral third party. The alternative dispute resolution procedures employed
shall include a confidential evaluation of both the facts and the law and the issuance of
confidential recommendations by the neutral third party.
2. By entering into this Agreement, the Parties have voluntarily adopted alternative dispute
resolution procedures IAW 5 United States Code. § 572(c). These procedures shall not be
employed if determined by either Party to be inappropriate after taking into consideration the
factors enumerated at 5 United States Code. § 572(b). A Party rejecting alternative dispute
resolution as inappropriate shall document its reasons in writing and deliver them to the other
Party. The Parties shall enter into a master written alternative dispute resolution Agreement
governing alternative dispute resolution proceedings that may be amended as needed to fit
individual proceedings. (A template of an acceptable alternative dispute resolution agreement
may be found at www.adr.af.mil).
3. The Government's obligation to make any payment arising out of an agreement resolving a
dispute under this Agreement is contingent upon the availability of funds proper for such
payment. The (insert Fire department organization) obligation to make any payment arising
out of an agreement resolving a dispute under this Agreement is contingent upon the
availability of funds proper for such payment.
n. All notices, requests, demands, and other communications which may or are required to be
delivered hereunder will be in writing and will be delivered by messenger, by a nationally
recognized overnight mail delivery service or by certified mail, return receipt requested, at the
following addresses:
For the Air Force:
115 th Fighter Wing
c/o Commander
3110 Mitchell Street
Madison, WI 53704
128th Air Refueling Wing
c/o Commander
1919 E Grange Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53207
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Volk Field Air National Guard Base
c/o Commander
100 Independence Drive
Camp Douglas, WI 54618
And:
Department of the Air Force Air Force Civil Engineer Center/CXF
139 Barnes Dr, Suite 1
Tyndall AFB FL 32403-5319
And:
115 th Fighter Wing
c/o Installation Fire Chief
3110 Mitchell Street
Madison, WI 53704
128th Air Refueling Wing
c/o Installation Fire Chief
1919 E Grange Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53207
Volk Field Air National Guard Base
c/o Installation Fire Chief
100 Independence Drive
Camp Douglas, WI 54618
For
City of Oshkosh
Oshkosh Fire Department
c/o Fire Chief
101 Court Street
Oshkosh, WI 54901
Town of Nekimi
Nekimi Fire Department
c/o Fire Chief
3790 Pickett Road
Oshkosh, WI 54904
TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT
o. This Agreement will become effective on the date of the last signature to the Agreement and
will remain in effect for two years (1 July 2025 through 1 July 2027) from that date (the “Term”).
The Parties to this agreement shall conduct an annual review for currency to respective
regulatory and policy guidance and shall acknowledge review by cover letter signature from both
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Parties’ senior fire officers. Any Party may unilaterally terminate this Agreement during the Term
by sending notification of its intent to terminate to the other Party at 180 days in advance of the
proposed date of termination. Such notification will be in the form of a written submission to the
other Party.
p. Upon becoming effective, this Agreement will supersede and cancel all previous agreements
between the Parties concerning the rendering of assistance from one to the other for the purposes
stated in this Agreement.
q. The modification or amendment of this Agreement, or any of the provisions of this Agreement,
will not become effective unless executed in writing by both Parties.
r. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which will be deemed
an original.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, The Parties have caused this Agreement to be executed by their duly
authorized representatives on the dates shown below (apply all required signatures here):
CITY OF OSHKOSH – TOWN OF NEKIMI –
____________________________________
REBECCA GRILL GLEN BARTHELS
Manager - City of Oshkosh Chairman – Town of Nekimi
______
Date Date
OSHKOSH FIRE DEPARTMENT – NEKIMI FIRE DEPARTMENT –
____________________________________
TIMOTHY D. HEIMAN MATTHEW J. POTRATZ
Fire Chief Fire Chief
__________________
Date Date
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7/2/2025
7/2/2025
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7/2/2025
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7/3/2025
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THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
by the Secretary of the Air Force – by the Secretary of the Air Force –
____________________________________
TIMOTHY R. GUY, Col, WI ANG CHARLES C. MERKEL, Col, WI ANG
Commander, Volk Field ANGB Commander, 128ARW
__________________
Date Date
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA United States Property & Fiscal Officer -
by the Secretary of the Air Force
____________________________________
BENJAMIN M. GERDS, Col, WI ANG DOUGLAS P. KOLB
Commander, 115FW Colonel, USA
United States Property & Fiscal Officer
__________________
Date Date
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