NU Online News Service, Nov. 1, 1:28 p.m. EDT

Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty and Georgia Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens say they have renewed a partnership agreement on a contingency plan between their respective states.

The agreement will ensure continuity of operations of critical functions in the event of a catastrophe causing significant disruption to either state's operations.

“After the 2004-05 hurricane season, we saw a need to have this kind of agreement in place,” Audrey Brown, chief of staff in the Florida department tells NU Online News Service. “Georgia also has had issues with flooding and other things. We're only about four hours apart, so it makes sense.”

She says the agreement revises and replaces a previous agreement dated July 2009 with Georgia's former Insurance Commissioner John W. Oxendine.

Under the agreement, members of an affected state will use temporary workspace designated by the other's state, in either Tallahassee or Atlanta, until the infrastructure of the affected state has been restored, according to the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation.

The memorandum of understanding specifies the terms and conditions of the host state's support requirements as well as the responsibilities of the affected state.

“The Georgia Department of Insurance appreciates this opportunity to work together with our Florida colleagues to improve both states' ability to provide essential regulatory services and protections to our citizens in the event of a man-made or natural disaster,” says Hudgens. “We hope and pray, of course, that such a disaster never occurs. If it does, however, this agreement increases the level of preparedness of both departments.”

Commissioner McCarty adds, “It is essential that we are proactive in our planning to allow each office to provide critical services and information to emergency response teams and the public directly following a major catastrophe. This agreement increases our capacity to perform these important functions.”

Primary elements of the agreement include:

• The mobilizing state will promptly notify host state contacts when a disaster occurs and operations must be moved to the host state.

• The host state will provide logistical support to include a limited number of laptop and desktop computers, Internet capabilities and fax machines.

• The host state will provide space for 20 employees for a period of 45 days.

Special Reports /

Florida, Georgia Renew Cooperative Catastrophe Contingency Plan

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