For rural border cities such as Hood River, Cascade Locks, The Dalles, and all their counterpart communities across the Columbia, House Bill 2583 makes common sense. The bill is intended to protect public agencies in border areas of the state.

Sen. Rick Metsger, D-Welches, and Rep. Patti Smith, R-Corbett, have joined in another bipartisan partnership by co-sponsoring the proposed bill (details on page A1).

HB 2583 allows Oregon responders to enter into an interstate cooperative agreement that holds them harmless for providing assistance in a neighboring state.

County firefighters and medics could soon be protected from lawsuits while helping with an emergency across the Columbia River.

With vehicle and train traffic on the rise along the crowded Interstate 84 and Highway 14 corridors, the likelihood of the need for mutual aid also increases.

Cascade Locks firefighters helped Stevenson with an Amtrak accident on the Washington side several years ago.

A river is a political border but foremost it is a physical one and numerous bridges carry us back and forth. Responders in Clackamas and Hood River counties ignore the physical boundaries of the White River and the mountain itself to help each other out; mutual aid should be as natural a course between neighboring states.

Removing impediments to mutual aid will be a welcome thing when the impending transportation infrastructure improvements happen on Interstate 84 in the Hood River and Cascade Locks areas; depending on the location and severity of an accident or emergency situation, it might be necessary to call for help from one side of the river or another, if access is impeded.