Registration is a prerequisite for eligibility of emergency workers for benefits and legal protection under chapter 38.52 RCW.

(1) Emergency workers shall register in their jurisdiction of residence or in the jurisdiction where their volunteer organization is headquartered by completing and filing an emergency worker registration card, Form EMD-024 or equivalent, with the local emergency management agency.

(a) The information provided during registration may be used by local authorized officials to conduct criminal history and driving record background checks.

(b) Failure to truthfully respond to statements set forth on the registration form may result in the denial of registration, revocation of registration as an emergency worker, or denial of compensation for claims or damage.

(c) Registration and subsequent issuance of an emergency worker identification card, Form EMD-025 or equivalent, shall be at the discretion of the local emergency management agency director. Denial of registration should only be made for cause.

(d) Each emergency worker shall be assigned to an emergency worker class as listed in WAC 118-04-100 in accordance with their skills, abilities, licenses, and qualifications.

(2) An employee of the state or of a political subdivision of the state who is required to perform emergency duties as a normal part of their job shall be considered as registered with the local emergency management agency in the jurisdiction in which they reside.

(a) When such individuals are outside the jurisdiction of their employment during a disaster or emergency, except when acting under the provisions of a mutual aid agreement, they should report to the on-scene authorized official and announce their capabilities and willingness to serve as a volunteer during the emergency or disaster. These individuals will be afforded the same protection as all other emergency workers.

(b) Such individuals, including volunteer firefighters enrolled under chapter 41.24 RCW, shall not be eligible for compensation as emergency workers when, during an emergency or disaster, they are performing their normal duties in the geographic area they are normally assigned to work or in another geographic area under the provisions of a mutual aid agreement.

(3) Temporary registration.

(a) Temporary registration may be authorized:

(i) In those emergency situations requiring immediate or on-scene recruiting of volunteers to assist in time-critical or life-threatening situations.

(ii) In those training or exercise situations where certain duties can be performed by persons who have no permanent and specific emergency worker assignments and who are not registered emergency workers but whose participation may be essential or necessary for the conduct of the training or exercise activity such as persons serving as disaster victims during a medical exercise.

(b) Persons shall be temporarily registered during the period of service if they have filled out a temporary registration card which includes name, date of birth, and address, as well as information describing the emergency, training, or exercise function they participated in, and the date and time they were involved in these activities, are issued a temporary identification card, and have reported to and are under the control and supervision of an authorized official operating under the provisions of chapter 38.52 RCW.

(c) When the lack of available time or resources precludes the completion of separate temporary registration and identification cards for each person, entry of the person's name, assignment, date and times of work, total hours worked, and miles driven (if applicable) on an emergency worker daily activity report, Form EMD-078 or equivalent, shall suffice until such time as the required forms can be completed. In these cases, the emergency worker's date of birth shall be used in lieu of an emergency worker identification card number in the appropriate block on the Form EMD-078.

(d) Period of service:

(i) The period of service for persons temporarily registered shall commence no earlier than the date and time of issuance of an emergency management division mission, evidence search mission, or training event number.

(ii) The period of service for persons temporarily registered shall terminate no later than the termination date and time of the emergency management division mission, evidence search mission, or training event number.

(4) Any citizen commandeered for service in accordance with RCW 38.52.110 shall be entitled, during the period of this service, to all privileges, benefits and immunities provided by state law and state or federal regulations for registered emergency workers so long as that citizen remains under the direction and control of an authorized official. Such persons should complete temporary registration at the scene in order to facilitate the processing of any claim that may result from that service.

(5) Animals, such as dogs and horses used in search and rescue and other disaster response may be registered with the local emergency management agency.

(a) The purpose of this provision is to support those instances where a search dog or other animal must be transported on commercial aircraft. Registration as an emergency search and rescue animal will aid the airline in determining the proper method of transporting the animal.

(b) Registration of an animal also will facilitate the processing of claims for that animal should it become injured or killed during a training event or mission.