JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- Joint Base San Antonio and the City of San Antonio have entered into a nine-year mutual aid and support agreement that will allow for more efficient response and recovery actions during emergencies.
Brig. Gen. Laura L. Lenderman, 502d Air Base Wing and JBSA commander, along with San Antonio Fire Department Chief Charles Hood, San Antonio Police Department Chief William McManus, Deputy City Manager Erik Walsh and other city officials, were on hand for the signing of the agreement at San Antonio City Hall Nov. 29. Gen. Lenderman and Chief Hood were the signatories for the document.
“The San Antonio Fire Department and JBSA’s shared mission of protecting the people of Military City, USA, was advanced today,” Hood said. “The men and women of SAFD stand ready and committed to offer help that will help make the community a safer place to live.”
“This agreement further solidifies the incredibly strong partnership between Joint Base San Antonio and the City of San Antonio,” Gen. Lenderman said. “It will provide increased security, safety, and improve emergency response times during crisis events that has the ability to save lives.”
The JBSA Emergency Management Office and the San Antonio Office of Emergency Management have been working since 2010 to enter into a formal mutual aid agreement.
The CoSA and JBSA revitalized the initiative in April and, after months of negotiations between representatives from emergency management, Fire Emergency Services, Explosive Ordnance Disposal, 502nd ABW Plans, and attorneys from both agencies, the agreement was finalized in October 2018.
“This agreement has been a long time in the making, but it was signed at the right time by the right people to illustrate the shared commitment of JBSA and the City for the safety and preparedness of our community, military and civilian alike in this time of emerging threats,” said Willie Monroe, JBSA Emergency Manager.
According to the ordinance, this agreement will help solidify this relationship and strengthen the City’s and JBSA’s ability to respond and recover from a catastrophic disaster or civil emergency by providing written procedures to ensure that adequate equipment and manpower will be available to ensure that mutual aid is accomplished in the minimum time possible, potentially saving lives and property.
As major accidents may occur at any time without warning, on or off JBSA, involving aircraft, weapons or components, toxic fuels, toxic industrial chemicals, toxic industrial materials, explosives, hazardous materials and/or other natural, technological, or manmade disasters, the support agreement establishes policy, responsibilities, and procedures between JBSA and the City to prepare, prevent, respond and recover from a disaster/emergency.
The agreement details the types of support JBSA and the City were responsible for, as well as the roles the City and JBSA would have during an emergency situation.
“This is a win-win for the City and JBSA,” said City of San Antonio Director of Military & Veterans Affairs, retired U.S. Marine Maj. Gen. Juan G. Ayala. “The superb partnership that makes us Military City, USA, continues to be mutually beneficial. San Antonio now has a strengthened ability to respond and recover from a wide range of emergency situations and threats to public safety that could potentially effect the military and municipal organizations.”