An MAA commit parties to a mutually beneficial, cooperative agreement. The agreement is usually to provide staff, resources, and/or services during an emergency event with the expectation of a future reciprocal exchange of comparable value, if needed. When parties have like resources and are able to provide those resources when time is of the essence to support response or recovery or mitigate property damage, an MAA may be the agreement of choice.

The sample MAA below involves two entities that are near each other. Each is agreeing to serve as an evacuation/reunification site for the other. The agreement addresses renewal and liability.