The following is a release from the office of Rep. Roger Goodman:

Major floods, landslides and earthquakes have devastating effects, yet firefighters, who are highly-trained first responders and often closest to the scene, are currently prohibited from helping out in the most serious disasters.

Washington state law prevents fire departments to be mobilized in response to disasters other than fires. This deficiency in the law kept firefighters away from the rescue and recovery efforts after the Oso landslide. House Bill 1389, sponsored by Rep. Roger Goodman, fixes this deficiency.

“Tragedies like the Oso landslide leave a long-lasting impact on our communities,” said Goodman, who chairs of the House Public Safety Committee. “If we had been able to mobilize firefighters to the scene at Oso, it’s possible we could have saved lives, and we would have been able to recover victims sooner.”

“Firefighters have special training and expertise that qualifies them to tackle disasters of all kinds, not just fires,” Goodman said. “They are part of our best response effort. This bill will ensure that all first responders will be available to protect and save lives in case of major disasters.”

The final version of House Bill 1389 was approved on April 23 by the House and now heads to the Gov. Jay Inslee’s desk for signature.