San José also takes advantage of regional cooperation opportunities in the area of emergency services. Since the 1950’s, San José has been part of a statewide mutual aid agreement to support public safety services. San José has historically provided mutual aid personnel and equipment to assist other jurisdictions in times of disaster. One of San José’s mutual aid assets is the Metropolitan Medical Task Force, a multi-department, multi-agency response organization that can assist victims of terrorism or other events involving multiple casualties. San José was the first city in the United States to have a written plan for responding to terrorism. This plan became the model for the 120 cities throughout the United States that have become a part of a local/federal partnership for terrorism preparedness. San José is a leader in the Bay Area Terrorism Working Group, which brings together leaders from Bay Area communities representing police, fire, emergency services and emergency medical services. These agencies work together to share intelligence and best practices to ensure continuous improvement in terrorism response capabilities.