1. a. This article shall be in effect only as among those states which have enacted it into law or in which the governors have adopted it pursuant to constitutional or statutory authority sufficient to give it the force of law as part of this compact. Nothing contained in this article or in any supplementary agreement made in implementation thereof shall be construed to abridge, impair or supersede any other provision of this compact or any obligation undertaken by a state pursuant thereto, except that if its terms so provide, a supplementary agreement in implementation of this article may modify, expand or add to any such obligation as among the parties to the supplementary agreement.

b. In addition to the occurrences, circumstances and subject matters to which preceding articles of this compact make it applicable, this compact and the authorizations, entitlements and procedures thereof shall apply to:

(1) searches for and rescue of persons who are lost, marooned, or otherwise in danger;

(2) action useful in coping with disasters arising from any cause or designed to increase capability to cope with any such disasters;

(3) incidents, or the imminence thereof, which endanger the health or safety of the public and which require the use of special equipment, trained personnel or personnel in larger numbers than are locally available in order to reduce, counteract or remove the danger;

(4) the giving and receiving of aid by subdivisions of party states;

(5) exercises, drills or other training or practice activities designed to aid personnel to prepare for, cope with, or prevent any disaster or other emergency to which this compact applies.

c. Except as expressly limited by this compact or a supplementary agreement in force pursuant thereto, any aid authorized by this compact or such supplementary agreement may be furnished by any agency of a party state, a subdivision of such state, or by a joint agency of any two or more party states or of their subdivisions. Any joint agency providing such aid shall be entitled to reimbursement therefor to the same extent and in the same manner as a state. The personnel of such a joint agency, when rendering aid pursuant to this compact, shall have the same rights, authority and immunity as personnel of party states.

d. Nothing in this article shall be construed to exclude from the coverage of Articles I through XIV of this compact any matter which, in the absence of this article, could reasonably be construed to be covered thereby.

L.2007, c.116, s.1.