NOVA Fire/EMS Celebrates 40th Anniversary of the NOVA Agreement
December 28, 2015
For Immediate Release:
Brett Bowman,
Chief, City of Manassas Fire Department
703-257-8458
Northern Virginia Mutual Aid Agreement Celebrates 40th Anniversary
Northern Virginia- The fourteen fire, rescue, and emergency medical service agencies of the Northern Virginia region are honored to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Northern Virginia Mutual Aid Agreement (“NOVA Agreement”). To commemorate the occasion, the Arlington County Fire Department is taking the lead in producing a video with some of the originators and early pioneers that created this ground- breaking practice for regional cooperation and response.
Originally signed by the parties on December 12, 1975, the NOVA Agreement was intended to, and continues to, create a framework that allows the citizens of Northern Virginia to enjoy the benefits of a regional approach to the delivery of emergency services. These benefits utilize standardized response protocols and operational procedures that are unencumbered by the boundaries of the respective political subdivisions. For 40 years, the Fire and Rescue Departments of Northern Virginia have displayed an unprecedented level of cooperation in providing emergency services to its citizens. This system of automatic mutual response has proven to be invaluable, and was updated and recommitted in 2009 with the intent to perpetuate and strengthen this method of emergency service delivery within the region.
The NOVA Agreement has been attributed as “an example of an effective and successful agreement” that is often cited in national discussions and presentations as an example of best practices that should be emulated throughout the country. “The NOVA Agreement contains an automatic aid agreement that dispatches the closest and most appropriate resource without regard to jurisdictional boundaries. All parties participate in the development of standard operating procedures that cover all aspects of emergency response from dispatch procedures, communication protocol, incident command, and tactical operations. Member parties agree that they will not charge each other for normal emergency response unless the requesting jurisdiction bills, and receives payment from the party that was responsible for the emergency. Members also agree to waive all claims against the other parties for liability incurred outside of their jurisdiction.”
The parties included in this Agreement include:
- Arlington County, Virginia (Includes the City of Falls Church)
- City of Alexandria, Virginia
- City of Fairfax, Virginia
- City of Manassas, Virginia
- City of Manassas Park, Virginia
- Fairfax County, Virginia (Includes the towns of Clifton, Herndon, and Vienna)
- Fauquier County, Virginia
- Loudoun County, Virginia
- Marine Corps Base Quantico
- Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority
- Prince William County, Virginia
- Stafford County, Virginia
- United States Army Base – Fort Belvoir
- United States Army – Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall
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