Union County votes to participate in ORWARN mutual aid agreement for water-handling emergencies

UNION COUNTY – During a regular commission meeting on Wednesday, April 7, the Union County Board of Commissioners officially approved a proposal for the county to participate in ORWARN. Proposed by Union County Emergency Manager Nick Vora, ORWARN (Oregon Water Agency Response Network) is an organization meant to facilitate mutual aid between water-handling utilities and public agencies during emergencies.

In practice, this expedites the process to request and receive mutual aid for water related equipment by streamlining the signing of mutual aid agreements and further publicizing the requests for aid to relevant utilities/agencies. As described in an example given by Emergency Manager Vora in a correspondence with the county (provided to Elkhorn Media Group by the county):

“When the City of Burns had a pump fail, their emergency manager called me for help with requesting a pump on behalf of the City of Burns. Harney County had to sign-on to the attached agreement before the request could move forward, but after doing so, all the utilities in the state were notified of their request and they were able to get the pump they needed.”

As Vora further explained during the meeting, the agreement would Allow Union County to act as a facilitator for equipment/aid requests as the county doesn’t own any water handling systems directly. Vora also clarified to commissioners that the ORWARN agreement is entirely voluntary and, though facilitating mutual aid, does not have any form of mandatory response obligations. Reimbursement for any loaned equipment or aid would be arranged as per any standard mutual aid agreement.

The proposal was approved unanimously by commissioners. 

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Elkhorn Media Group