Relating to creating a database of the firefighting equipment in the state available for use in responding to wildfires.

Contracts

• Mutual Aid Agreements (MAAs): Review and amend existing MAAs. Replace static equipment lists with clauses referencing the TFS database as the "source of truth" for resource availability to avoid liability during deployment failures.
• Vendor Software Contracts: If utilizing third-party fleet management software, review contracts to determine if the vendor supports data integration with state agencies or if an addendum is required for API development.

Hiring/Training

• Designated Reporting Officer: Assign a specific staff member or officer responsible for database interface. This role requires training on TFS data standards to ensure internal inventory codes map correctly to state definitions.
• Protocol Training: Operational staff must be trained to report equipment status changes (e.g., "Truck 4 is out for transmission repair") to the Reporting Officer immediately, rather than waiting for maintenance logs.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

• Real-Time Status Updates: The law requires updates "as soon as practicable" after equipment availability changes. Establish an internal workflow to ensure this occurs within 24 hours of a status change.
• Annual Verification: Departments must respond to an electronic inquiry from TFS annually to verify the accuracy of their contact information and inventory.
• Audit Trails: Maintain an internal log of all data submissions to TFS to serve as a defense against negligence claims in the event of a wildfire response failure attributed to bad data.

Fees & Costs

• Direct Fees: None.
• Indirect Costs: Budget for administrative man-hours required for initial data population and ongoing maintenance. Non-compliance may threaten eligibility for future TFS grant funding (e.g., HB 2604 grants).