NEW HAVEN – The chief executive officers of seven cities and towns signed the State of Connecticut’s first municipal mutual aid agreement this afternoon at New Haven’s City Hall. Mayor John DeStefano, Jr. of New Haven hosted East Haven Mayor Joseph Maturo, Hamden Mayor Carl Amento, North Haven First Selectman Kevin Kopetz, Orange First Selectman Mitchell Goldblatt, West Haven Mayor Richard Borer and Woodbridge First Selectwoman Amey Marrella.

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The seven municipalities comprise the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) Working Group. One of the objectives of the Urban Area Working Group was to formulate and formalize a municipal mutual aid agreement for an identified weapons of mass destruction (WMD) incident. In 2004 this group of municipalities won the UASI designation, receiving nearly $9.6 million in Homeland Security Funds and with it, the task of forming a mutual aid agreement. Unlike other mutual aid agreements in Connecticut, this one is signed by elected officials and approved by the respective legislative bodies. It also covers more than fire and police services, extending to Public Works and the Health Departments.

Prior to the signing, the New Haven Urban Area towns had already started to train and coordinate together. April’s exercise in New Haven’s Emergency Operations Center demonstrated that different departments in the towns are ready to assist other communities should disaster strike.

Currently the 7 municipalities are working together to identify equipment needs, standardize equipment and train first responders so that hazardous materials response equipment in Hamden can be used in Orange or Woodbridge, and personnel can move seamlessly across town boundaries to provide assistance. The communities are also working together to purchase equipment, realizing efficiencies of scale and avoiding duplication. This effort will save money and stretch the region’s homeland security resources further.

The cooperation this agreement represents can be a model for the rest of Connecticut. Currently neither the Federal government nor the State of Connecticut requires other cities or towns to enact mutual aid agreements of this kind.