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Official's Guide to Disasters <br /> Declarations <br /> Local government has direct responsibility for the safety of its residents. Orange County <br /> Emergency Services (OCES) is responsible for coordinating emergency management <br /> activities inside Orange County and is recognized by the state through North Carolina <br /> Emergency Management. State government has additional legal responsibilities for <br /> emergency response and recovery. The Federal government also has legal authority in <br /> some instances, and is a source of fiscal resources, as well as specialized personnel <br /> and equipment if local need is greater than locally available resources. <br /> Specific areas of authority and responsibilities for Emergency Management agencies <br /> are clearly stated in state law and local ordinances. These laws provide for a specific <br /> line of succession for elected officials to ensure continuity of government and leadership <br /> during an emergency (Sec. 14-41) and are as follows: the chair of the board of <br /> commissioners, the vice-chair, the county manager, the assistant county manager, the <br /> emergency management director, and the assistant emergency management director. <br /> The emergency management director or his assistants also have the authority to <br /> evacuate the county when immediacy of necessary action precludes contact with the <br /> chair. The Orange County Attorney's Office will provide legal guidance as needed <br /> throughout the process. <br /> It is better to err on the side of caution when declaring a state of emergency and <br /> • can be cancelled if the situation is determined not to warrant a declaration. <br /> Declaring early can save valuable time, should you need to eventually seek a federal <br /> declaration of a state of emergency. <br /> It is also important to remember to officially terminate a state of emergency when the <br /> disaster is over and the situation is once more under control. All points of the <br /> declaration remain in effect until it is officially terminated. An example of Orange <br /> County's proclamation of a state of emergency can be found in Appendix I. <br /> Declaring a State of Emergency <br /> State of emergency defined: (G.S. 14-288) Condition that exists whenever, during <br /> times of public crisis, disaster, rioting, catastrophe, or similar public emergency, public <br /> safety authorities are unable to maintain public order or afford adequate protection for <br /> lives or property, or whenever the occurrence of any such event is imminent. <br /> Who can declare: Governor, mayor, municipal official, chair of the board of <br /> commissioners or county official, any chief executive official or military commanding <br /> "acting under the authority of any other applicable statute or provision of the common <br /> law to preserve the public peace in a state of emergency." <br /> What it means: Activates local ordinances and any and all applicable local plans, <br /> mutual assistance compacts, and agreements. <br /> Handling Disaster Page 4.3 <br /> 9 9 <br /> Version Date-April 9, 2012 <br />