Agenda 09-04-2025; 8-h - Amendments to the Emergency Management Ordinance - First Consideration

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3 ORD-2025-028 PART I-GENERAL ORDINANCES Chapter 14-EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND EMERGENCY SERVICES ARTICLE II.STATE OF EMERGENCY ARTICLE 11. STATE OF EMERGENCY' Sec. 14-31. Restrictions authorized. (a) A state of emergency shall be deemed to exist whenever during times of public crisis,disaster, rioting, catastrophe or similar public emergency,for any reason, public safety authorities are unable to maintain public order or afford adequate protection for lives,safety or property,or whenever the occurrence of any such condition is imminent. (b) In the event of an existing or threatened state of emergency endangering the lives,safety, health and welfare of the people within the county,or threatening damages to or destruction of property,the chair of the board of commissioners is authorized and empowered under G.S. 14 299.13 and 166A 9 G.S. 166A to issue a public pFeelamatieadeclaration declaring to all persons the existence of such a state of emergency and in order to more effectively protect the lives and property of people within the county,to place in effect any or all of the restrictions authorized in this article. (c) The chair is authorized and empowered to limit by the ^F^ at'B;declaration the application of all or any part of such restrictions to any area specifically designated or described within the county and to specific hours of the day or night,and to exempt from all or any part of such restrictions,while acting in the line of and within the scope of their respective duties,emergency management officials, law enforcement officers, firefighters and other public employees, rescue squad members, doctors, nurses,employees of hospitals and other medical facilities;American Red Cross volunteers and paid staff;on-duty military personnel,whether state or federal;on-duty employees of public utilities, public transportation companies,and newspaper, magazine, radio broadcasting,and television broadcasting corporations operated for profit; and such other classes of persons as may be essential to the preservation of public order and immediately necessary to serve the safety, health and welfare needs of people within the county. (Ord.of 9-18-1990, § 1, eff.9-18-1990) Sec. 14-32. Proclamation imposing prohibitions and restrictions. (a) The chair of the board of commissioners by PFeelaFnatiandeclaration may impose the prohibitions and restrictions specified in sections 14-33-14-37 of this ordinance in the manner described in those sections. The chair may impose as many of those specified prohibitions and restrictions as he findsthe chair finds are necessary, because of an emergency,to maintain an acceptable level of public order and services and to protect lives,safety,and property.The chair shall recite Wss-such findings in the prs +endeclaration.All prohibitions and restrictions shall take effect as provided in G.S. 166A-19.31(d). (b) The prer=la Fnatiencleclaration shall be in writing and shall be published to the general public. Publication shall be accomplished as provided in G.S. 166A-19.31(d). The chair shall take reasonable steps to give notice of the terms of the pFeela matiencleclaration to those affected by it and shall,when practical, post a copy of it in the county courthouse.The chair shall send reports of the substance of the pFeela na#iendeclaration to the 'State law reference(s)—Authority to declare a state of emergency,G.S. 14 288.12; leeal eMerg ^Gy sr�a*ons,G.S. 166A-819.22. Orange County, North Carolina,Code of Ordinances Created: 2023-12-19 09:11:19 [EST] (Supp.No.14) Page 1 of 5