Bylaws

SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA MUTUAL AID
ASSOCIATION
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BYLAWS

Revised: May 5, 2000
 February 22, 2003
 January 12, 2011

ARTICLE I.
MEMBERSHIP
SECTION I.
GENERAL MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS

A prospective member must have personnel and equipment sufficient to control fires or emergencies, of the magnitude and type, which are likely to occur most often in their facility or organization. The general member must have the capability to render assistance (equipment & operators) if called upon by other members if feasible at the time of the emergency.

SECTION II.
CONDITIONS OF MEMBERSHIP

It is a basic premise of the organization that it can fulfil its purpose only if the following minimum and basis conditions of membership are met by individual member industries and agencies:
1. Each member agrees to maintain resources in the form of emergency personnel and equipment sufficient to control fire or emergencies of the type and magnitude, which have normally occurred in the facility, or for prospective members, similar facilities in the preceding 5 years.
Minimum standards for specific types of facilities are determined as follows:
a. As specified in Appendix on Application and Inspection forms.
Resources must include water supply equipment, water or agent delivery methods systems, or a combination of, and an emergency response team.
Water supply equipment is defined as fire pump installations and private fire service mains capable of achieving the required delivery rates.
Water or agent delivery methods or Systems include:
• Portable hose lines and or monitors
• Mobile fire pumping equipment or apparatus
• Fire water spray or sprinkler systems
• Fixed fire water monitors
• Foam chambers or spray Systems
• Dry chemical, CO2 or other agent suppression systems
 
Emergency Response personnel must be adequately trained to a level in compliance with all appropriate Federal and State codes and standards. Personnel must also be properly trained on SLMA incident command and other standard operating procedures to enable proper coordination between the facility and responding SLMA personnel.
b. Each member must maintain sufficient equipment to be able to assist in an emergency mitigation effort when asked to respond to another SLMA members call for assistance. The determination as to whether or not a prospective member has sufficient equipment will be made by the SLMA steering committee after having thoroughly reviewed the New Member Application Form. Only after this has occurred will the application be presented to the general membership for a vote. These membership criteria shall be effective on the date that this set of by-laws is adopted (October 14, 1998). All existing members on this effective date shall be “Grandfathered” members in the SLMA. The member who cannot provide the required level of response, but can provide another vital service to the SLMA organization must propose to the President the service of their intent. The President shall determine the necessity and validity of the service to the organization and proceed to an approval by the Steering Committee.
2. Each member shall design and maintain a written emergency action plan that complies with all current Federal and State rules and regulations. This emergency plan shall include procedures for activating personnel and equipment within their jurisdictions.  Included in this emergency plan, or as a supplement to this emergency plan, each member agrees to provide call procedures and instructions to properly respond to calls for assistance from SLMA members, procedures and instructions for properly requesting assistance, and procedures and instructions to properly receive aid from SLMA members.
3. Each member agrees to appoint a representative and one alternate representative. At least one representative or designate of each member shall attend all general meetings of the organization. Failure to attend four successive general meetings shall be grounds for being placed on probationary status. Also, senior managers (or their management representatives) shall be invited to attend SLMA meetings periodically.
4. A prospective member must be capable of contributing resources in the form of equipment and personnel to the organization to sustain a goal as a mutual aid cooperative.
5. Each member agrees to participate in the practice drills of the organization to the minimum extent of having one of their representatives present as an observer.
6. Each member agrees to appoint responsible company officials to be present at all key roadblocks, traffic control points during an emergency to assist the law enforcement officers on duty. These officials should have proper authorization and identification documents identifying them to the law enforcement officers. Also, some type of communications with the entity will be provided at all times. The officials must be familiar with, and have knowledge of, authorized personnel that require admittance to the plant. This includes company employees and officials, fire-fighting and rescue personnel, SLMA, and other outside groups called for assistance.
7. Each member agrees to cooperate totally with authorized inspections by the SLMA Inspection Committee.
8. Each member agrees to replace material used and to repair or replace equipment lost or damaged in the control of a fire or emergency situation within its facilities in cash at current prices or in kind, provided the equipment and/or material was furnished by SLMA members or by other Industrial Mutual Aid Organizations in response to a properly placed request. Damage to and loss of equipment refers to damage and loss as a direct result of the emergency condition rather than from the wear and tear expected in the normal operation of emergency equipment.
9. Each member agrees to establish effective radio communication on the SLMA Network, and will follow all established communications per the communications committee.
10. Each member agrees to pay an annual membership due. The amount of dues may be changed by a majority vote of members present at a general meeting. Dues shall be due at the February meeting. Any member not paid up the following April 1st shall automatically be placed on probationary status until such dues are paid, or the four  months probation are up and the entity is dismissed. Invoices for dues will be distributed with the minutes of the December general meeting. Federal and State agencies are considered standing agencies and therefore exempt from the annual dues.
11. Each member agrees to utilize the SLMA emergency procedures on incidents where a Standby or Assistance Alert has been issued. Members are encouraged to utilize the SLMA emergency procedures as much as possible, for control of non-SLMA incidents in the member's facility/area of jurisdiction.
12. Member and prospective member public sector organizations, such as local law enforcement, fire departments, and other safety response agencies must only comply with items 2, 3 5, 7, 8, 9, and 10 of this section. In addition, municipal fire departments shall comply with item 4.
All Conditions for Membership as presented herein will be immediately required for all prospective members. Existing members will be inspected per the conditions as declared beginning new year on January 1st.

SECTION III.
VOTING PROCEDURES

Voting on issues at SLMA meetings will be by show of voting cards of the designated representative or alternate from each member establishment a simple majority of those voting members present shall decide the issue. Secret ballots may be used at the discretion of the officers, or whenever requested from the floor and approved by a majority vote. When ballot voting is conducted, the Secretary shall distribute a single ballot to each member establishment, and ensure a "one member - one vote" system.
Matters of organization, procedures, or policy must appear on the pre-published meeting agenda to be voted on at that meeting.

SECTION IV.
ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS

A member of a vendor, supplier or others engaged in emergency response activities that do not qualify for General Membership. The associate member is not capable of rendering assistance (equipment & operators) to the general members.

SECTION V.
CONDITIONS OF MEMBERSHIP

It is a basic premise of the organization that it can fulfil its purpose only if the following minimum and basis conditions of membership are met by Associate Members:
1. Facility or organization must support the total effort of the SLMA.
2. At SLMA meetings Associate Members may introduce a guest and comply with the one guest limit per member.
3. May serve on committees but are not allowed to chair a committee.
4. May not host SLMA meetings unless agreement is reached with the scheduled host.
5. May present a presentation for the scheduled host only if it does not promote their primary business.
6. Must pay annual dues of $400.00.

SECTION VI.
PROBATIONARY STATUS

Member establishments may be placed on probationary status by action of the SLMA Steering Committee for failure to comply with the "conditions of membership". Placing a member on probationary status shall include the following steps:
A vote of probationary status by the Steering Committee, based on records as presented.
The President will send a written notice outlining the reasons of the probationary status to the Senior Manager of the establishment.
A continuing probationary status for more than four months is grounds for being dismissed from the SLMA organization. Such dismissal action will be pre-published in the minutes and voted on at the next general meeting.
Probationary status may be rescinded by a vote of Steering Committee by using the same steps for placing a member on probationary status.
When under probationary status, a member loses all normal membership privileges and responsibilities.

ARTICLE II.
INSPECTION PROCEDURES
SECTlON I.
INSPECTION PROCEDURES FOR MEMBERSHIP TO SLMA

New Members:
The following steps are required for admission to SLMA.
1. The prospective Organization must submit the Mutual Aid Application for Membership to the President.
2. A New Member Pre-Inspection Form will be sent to the prospective member for completion, and will be reviewed by the inspection committee.
3. Upon review of the pre-inspection form, the inspection committee will schedule an on-site inspection.
4. The inspection committee members will forward the endorsed inspection report to the steering committee. The steering committee chairman will present the prospective member to the general membership for acceptance by a majority vote.
5. Upon completion of an on-site inspection and approval by the inspection committee; the prospective member will be invited to attend the next scheduled meeting to present a short review of their operations.
6. In the event of disapproval by the inspection committee or lack of endorsement by the Steering Committee, or the rejection of prospective member by the general membership, the President will give written notice to the prospective member and outline any corrective steps, which may be necessary to comply with membership requirements. The prospective member may reapply after fulfilling any recommendation or after one (1) year.

SECTION II.
PERIODIC INSPECTIONS

1. Each general member will be inspected annually. The name of the companies to be inspected will be announced at the previous general membership meeting, which occurs prior to the inspection interval.
2. The inspection committee chair will forward the names of the companies to the inspection committee.
3. The inspection committees will perform an on-site inspection, which will include but not be limited to:
4. General fire equipment per the Master Equipment list
5. Adequate communication
6. Specialized equipment such as (hazmat response equipment and supplies, Rescue equipment etc.).
7. The inspection committee will inform the inspection committee chair of their findings. The inspection committee may make non-binding recommendations to the inspected company.
8. The inspection committee chair will report on all favourable inspections at the next general membership meeting.
9. The inspection committee chair will refer unfavourable inspections to the steering committee for action. 

ARTICLE III.
OPERATIONS/PROCEDURES
SECTION I.
CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH ASSISTANCE WILL BE RENDERED

Assistance to any stricken plant or agency will be available and rendered only if a call or request is made via telephone or emergency radio by a responsible official of a member plant or agency.

SECTION II.
COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM
General

This conventional 800 MHz radio system fully utilizes all of the ten radio channels, designated by the Federal Communications Commission, for use by public safety agencies during times of emergencies. The system’s ten channels include five repeaters and five talk around channels. The system also uses the official designators set by the FCC to identify the channels. The calling channel, designated by ICALL RP, is located on the Lake Charles Fire Department tower. The first tactical channel, designated ITAC1 RP, is also on the Lake Charles Fire Department tower. The second tactical channel, designated ITAC2 RP, is located on the Sulphur Fire Department tower on Old Spanish Trail. The third tactical channel is designated by ITAC3 RP, is located on a tower on Big Woods Road. The fourth tactical channel, designated by ITAC4 RP, is located on a tower in the Jennings Area. The control point for the system is E-911 in Calcasieu Parish (Mutual Aid Headquarters). The repeater sites are located to provide coverage in all of Calcasieu Parish and into Jefferson Davis parish. A total of five channels are available for use. For Talk Around channels. The radio channels will be used as follows: ICALL TA, for calling and establishing contact, ITAC1 TA, ITAC2 TA, ITAC3 TA, and ITAC4 TA are tactical simplex channel frequencies are as listed in the Emergency Plan.

SECTION III.
SLMA SPECIALIST GROUP

The specialists group will be appointed annually by the President of the organization.
They will perform any of the following duties at the request of the IC:
1. Handle all requests for aid from SLMA, including operation of the emergency radio.
2. Offer advice and counsel, handle special assignments.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF MEMBERS & COOPERATING AGENCIES
AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY OF MEMBERS AND COOPERATING AGENCIES
In order to avoid confusion and to allow the organization to function efficiently in emergencies, the following areas of responsibility are designated:
OFFICIALS OF MEMBER PLANTS will be responsible for directing fire fighting or emergency activities or in unusual situations for requesting the SLMA Specialist Group to assist in activities. They will handle and control all photographs and news releases connected with any emergency within their facilities.

LOCAL POLICE, SHERIFF’S OFFICE and LA STATE POLICE as law enforcement agents will be assisted by city and municipal law enforcement groups in the control of traffic.

MUNICIPAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS in the SLMA area have certain responsibilities under state and local laws. SLMA members agree that for purposes of this organization, they need not respond to any call placed over the SLMA emergency radio unless called by officials of a stricken entity, which is within their area of jurisdiction.
In case municipal fire departments are called by the officials of a stricken plant outside their area of jurisdiction, their response will be on a voluntary basis.

LIABILITY
Each SLMA member will be responsible for the liability of its own employees and equipment in the same manner as employer-employee relations on the job, except as specifically indicated in Conditions of Membership, paragraph 8.

DEFINITIONS

General Member
A member that must have personnel and equipment sufficient to control fires or emergencies, of the magnitude and type, which are likely to occur most often in their facility or organization. The general member must have the capability to render assistance (equipment & operators) if called upon by other members if feasible at the time of the emergency.

Associate Member

A member of a vendor or supplier and others engaged in emergency response activities that do not qualify for General Membership. The associate member is not capable of rendering assistance (equipment & operators) to the general members.

Company Representative

Official(s) or designated representative(s) of a distressed entity having responsibility of liaison and coordination with SLMA.

SLMA Control Center

A location off-site of the emergency has access to the distressed entity’s representative(s) and radio/telephone communications. Special communication vehicles of SLMA organization should be near by.

SLMA Command Post

A location at the emergency scene for liaison and coordination between the Incident Commander or Fire Chief of the distressed entity and the SLMA Specialists/Representatives. SLMA Specialist's vehicles may be used for this purpose.

Incident Commander or Fire Chief

The distressed entity’s representative in charge of at-the-scene fire fighting activities. Under certain circumstances, the affected entity may designate a SLMA Specialist as acting Incident Commander under authority and overall direction of the officials of the stricken entity.

SLMA Staging Area

A controlled area nearby or in radio contact with the Control Center to hold responding SLMA vehicles and personnel from which they can be dispatched to the internal scene in a planned sequence.

Company Escort

A designated representative of the distressed entity that is familiar with the in-plant roads, units, and personnel to escort SLMA vehicles and personnel to the scene and affect contact with the IncidentCommander or SLMA Specialist.