MABAS is a mutual aid system that provides equipment for fire departments across Illinois. Monmouth Fire Department Chief Casey Rexroat shares how it affects our local fire departments for the past 20 years:
“What that does, is it’s a statewide network of mutual aid; that way everyone has a uniform mutual aid agreement between them instead of forming their own between each fire department. Their motto is “got your back,” and what it means is, if you need help we’ll come and help you. MABAS has a lot of different assets that different fire departments can use, like hazardous materials tools, scuba teams, rescue teams, things like that—really specialized equipment that normally fire departments wouldn’t have.”