Florida State Statute 252.32, the Emergency Management Act, provides each local government of the state the authority to develop and enter into mutual aid agreements within the state for reciprocal emergency aid in the event of emergencies that extend beyond local capabilities of managing. The agreement also ensures timely reimbursement of costs incurred by local governments which render such assistance.
The Florida Department of Emergency Management Statewide Mutual Aid Agreement formally incorporates the Statewide Emergency Response Plan which was established in 1992 by the Florida Fire Chief's Association after Hurricane Andrew devastated southern Miami - Dade County, which was the worst natural disaster to strike the United States up to that time. The Statewide Emergency Response Plan, which is divided into seven regions, provides for the systematic mobilization, deployment, organization, and management of emergency resources throughout Florida, and the Nation, in assisting local agencies in mitigating the effects of any large-scale disaster.