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3.5 CALIFORNIA MASTER MUTUAL AID AGREEMENT California's emergency resource management system is based on a statewide mutual aid organization designed to ensure that additional resources are provided to the State's political subdivisions whenever their own resources are overwhelmed or inadequate. The basis for this system is the California Disaster and Civil Defense Master Mutual Aid Agreement, which is entered into by local governments and the State. The agreement facilitates implementation of Chapter 7 of Division 1 of Title 2 of the Government Code entitled "California Emergency Services Act" and includes participation by the various departments and agencies within the political subdivisions, municipal corporations, and public agencies within the State to assist each other by providing resources during an emergency. The agreement obligates each signatory entity to provide aid to each other during an emergency without expectation of reimbursement. Under specific conditions, Federal and State monies may be appropriated to reimburse public agencies that aid other jurisdictions. If other agreements, memoranda, and contracts are used to provide assistance for consideration, the terms of those documents may affect disaster assistance eligibility, and local entities may only be reimbursed if funds are available. The Master Mutual Aid Agreement promotes the establishment of emergency assistance agreements between public and private sector agencies at all levels. The statewide mutual aid system, operating within the framework of the Master Mutual Aid Agreement, allows for the progressive mobilization of resources to and from emergency response agencies, local governments, operational areas, regions, and State with the intent to provide requesting agencies with adequate resources. The system includes several discipline -specific mutual aid systems, such as fire and rescue, law, medical, and public works. The adoption of SEMS and NIMS does not alter these existing systems but enhances the facilitation of mutual aid through the local government, operational area, regional, and State levels. 29