BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – The Whatcom County Council passed a resolution Tuesday night that will treat the fentanyl crisis like a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)-level disaster.

The resolution calls on County Executive Satpal Sidhu to establish a Multiagency Coordination System (MAC) group in Whatcom County. According to the resolution, a MAC group is used for extraordinarily large, complex incidents occurring in the county involving numerous agencies and jurisdictions.

The resolution details short-term approaches to combatting the fentanyl crisis. These approaches include advocating for declarations of emergency on grander scales, expanding law enforcement’s response to fentanyl-related crime, expanding community programs to provide stability to those at-risk of abusing fentanyl and increasing medical treatment options for fentanyl abuse.

Councilmembers Ben Elenbaas and Buchanan introduced the resolution. During the meeting, Councilmember Barry Buchanan noted that Seattle has accepted Whatcom County’s template for the resolution. The resolution was amended following Whatcom County Health Board’s input. Councilmember Elenbaas says that he wants a more coordinated effort to combat the crisis, regardless of tactics.

“I don’t really care about how we have to get there, but we have to have a better outcome than we have right now because too many people are dying,” Elenbaas said. He notes that every community in Whatcom is affected by the crisis.

“It’s all across the spectrum,” Elenbaas said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re from Lynden, or Sumas or Lummi Nation, we’re all losing family members and friends and it’s got to stop.”

The resolution passed 6-0 with only Councilmember Tyler Byrd absent.