Recommended Practice

Regional Emergency Planning and Participation in Mutual Aid

Abstract

This document establishes a recommended practice for transportation agencies to participate in regional emergency planning and enter into mutual aid agreements to guide the use of transit agency resources in the event of an emergency or critical incident.

Document History
Document Number Version Publication Date Publication Related Information
APTA SS-SEM-RP-011-09 Rev. 2 01/30/2025 Published Current
APTA SS-SEM-RP-011-09 Rev. 1 11/07/2019 Published Superseded
APTA SS-SEM-RP-011-09 Original 12/31/2009 Published Superseded

Keywords

emergency assistance, mutual aid, regional emergency planning, restoring service

Summary

Mutual aid should be a component of regional planning. Transit agencies should participate in local and regional mutual aid planning to accurately capture transit agency resources (e.g., additional services or replacement of disrupted services) that may be provided in the event of an emergency or special event. Mutual aid planning will strengthen preparedness to provide critical public transportation services in the event of a service disruption caused by human or natural acts, equipment malfunctions, accidents, terrorism, or any other occurrence for which emergency assistance is deemed to be necessary or advisable.

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