# Fla. Stat. § 250.542: 250.542 Definitions; mutual aid > Florida · Statutes · In force URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXVII_C250_PIII_S250.542 ## Section - **Citation:** Fla. Stat. § 250.542 - **Heading:** 250.542 Definitions; mutual aid - **Jurisdiction:** Florida - **Kind:** Statutes - **Status:** In force - **Text as of:** August 14, 2026 - **Source:** Compiled text - **Location:** Florida Code / Title XVII / Chapter 250 / Part III / Section 250.542 ## Text (1) As used in this compact: (a) “Emergency” means an occurrence or condition, temporary in nature, in which police and other public safety officials and locally available National Guard forces are, or may reasonably be expected to be, unable to cope with substantial and imminent danger to the public safety. (b) “Requesting state” means the state whose Governor requests assistance in coping with an emergency. (c) “Responding state” means the state furnishing aid or requested to furnish aid. (2) Upon request of the Governor of a party state for assistance in an emergency, the Governor of a responding state shall have authority under this compact to send without the borders of his or her state and place under the temporary command of the appropriate National Guard or other military authorities of the requesting state all or any part of the National Guard forces of his or her state as he or she may deem necessary, and the exercise of the Governor’s discretion in this regard shall be conclusive. (3) The Governor of a party state may withhold the National Guard forces of his or her state from such use and recall any forces or part or member thereof previously deployed in a requesting state. (4) Whenever National Guard forces of any party state are engaged in another state in carrying out the purposes of this compact, the members thereof so engaged shall have the same powers, duties, rights, privileges, and immunities as members of National Guard forces in such other state. The requesting state shall hold members of the National Guard forces of the responding states harmless from civil liability for acts or omissions in good faith which occur in the performance of their duty while engaged in carrying out the purposes of this compact, whether the responding forces are serving the requesting state within its borders or are in transit to or from such service. (5) Subject to the provisions of subsections (6), (7), and (8), all liability that may arise under the laws of the requesting state, the responding state, or a third state on account of or in connection with a request for aid, shall be assumed and borne by the requesting state. (6) Any responding state rendering aid pursuant to this compact shall be reimbursed by the requesting state for any loss or damage to, or expense incurred in the operation of any equipment answering a request for aid, and for the cost of materials, transportation, and maintenance of National Guard personnel and equipment incurred in connection with such request, provided that nothing herein contained shall prevent any responding state from assuming such loss, damage, expense, or other cost. (7) Each party state shall provide, in the same amounts and manner as if they were on duty within their state, for the pay and allowances of the personnel of its National Guard units while engaged without the state pursuant to this compact and while going to and returning from such duty pursuant to this compact. Such pay and allowances shall be deemed items of expense reimbursable under subsection (6) by the requesting state. (8) Each party state providing for the payment of compensation and death benefits to injured members and the representatives of deceased members of its National Guard forces in case such members sustain injuries or are killed within their own state shall provide for the payment of compensation and death benefits in the same manner and on the same terms in case such members sustain injury or are killed while rendering aid pursuant to this compact. Such compensation and death benefits shall be deemed items of expense reimbursable pursuant to subsection (6). History: s. 3, ch. 93-283; s. 120, ch. 95-148. ## Nearby sections - [Fla. Stat. § 250.540 250.540 Purposes.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXVII_C250_PIII_S250.540.md) - [Fla. Stat. § 250.541 250.541 Entry into force and withdrawal.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXVII_C250_PIII_S250.541.md) - [Fla. Stat. § 250.542 250.542 Definitions; mutual aid.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXVII_C250_PIII_S250.542.md) - [Fla. Stat. § 250.543 250.543 Delegation.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXVII_C250_PIII_S250.543.md) - [Fla. Stat. § 250.544 250.544 Limitations.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXVII_C250_PIII_S250.544.md) - [Fla. Stat. § 250.545 250.545 Construction and severability.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXVII_C250_PIII_S250.545.md) - [Fla. Stat. § 250.546 250.546 Payment of liability to responding state.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXVII_C250_PIII_S250.546.md) - [Fla. Stat. § 250.547 250.547 Status, rights, and benefits of forces engaged pursuant to compact.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXVII_C250_PIII_S250.547.md) - [Fla. Stat. § 250.548 250.548 Injury or death while going to or returning from duty.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXVII_C250_PIII_S250.548.md) - [Fla. Stat. § 250.549 250.549 Authority of responding state required to relieve from assignment or reassign officers.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXVII_C250_PIII_S250.549.md) --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXVII_C250_PIII_S250.542. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.