§ 24-33.5-703 — Definitions

Colorado § 24-33.5-703

• Jurisdiction: Colorado
• Title 24: Government
• Art.: Public Safety

Text

As used in this part 7, unless the context
otherwise requires:

(1) Bioterrorism means the intentional use of microorganisms or toxins of
biological origin to cause death or disease among humans or animals.

(2) Repealed.

(3) Disaster means the occurrence or imminent threat of widespread or
severe damage, injury, or loss of life or property resulting from any natural cause or
cause of human origin, including but not limited to fire; flood; earthquake; wind;
storm; wave action; hazardous substance incident; oil spill or other water
contamination requiring emergency action to avert danger or damage; volcanic
activity; epidemic; air pollution; blight; drought; infestation; explosion; civil
disturbance; hostile military or paramilitary action; a market disruption, including a
trade disruption or an atypical disruption in the market that affects production,
distribution, or consumption of a product or service; or a condition of riot,
insurrection, or invasion existing in the state or in any county, city, town, or district
in the state.

(3.5) Emergency means an unexpected event that places life or property in
danger and requires an immediate response through the use of state and
community resources and procedures.

(4) Emergency epidemic means cases of an illness or condition,
communicable or noncommunicable, caused by bioterrorism, pandemic influenza, or
novel and highly fatal infectious agents or biological toxins.

(4.3) Emergency management means the actions taken to prepare for,
respond to, and recover from emergencies and disasters and mitigate against
current and future risk.

(4.5) Mitigation means the sustained action to reduce or eliminate risk to
people and property from hazards and their effects.

(5) Pandemic influenza means a widespread epidemic of influenza caused
by a highly virulent strain of the influenza virus.

(6) Political subdivision means any county, city and county, city, or town
and may include any other agency designated by law as a political subdivision of
the state.

(7) (a) Publicly funded safety net program means a program that is
administered by a state department and that:

(I) Is funded wholly or in part with state, federal, or a combination of state
and federal funds; and

(II) Provides or facilitates the provision of medical services to vulnerable
populations, including children, disabled individuals, and the elderly.

(b) The term includes a program of medical assistance, as defined in section
25.5-1-103 (5), C.R.S.

(7.3) Recovery means the short, intermediate, and long-term actions taken
to restore community functions, services, vital resources, facilities, programs,
continuity of local government services and functions, and infrastructure to the
affected area.

(7.5) Resiliency means the ability of communities to rebound, positively
adapt to, or thrive amidst changing conditions or challenges, including human-caused and natural disasters, and to maintain quality of life, healthy growth,
durable systems, economic vitality, and conservation of resources for present and
future generations.

(7.7) Response means the actions taken directly following the onset of an
emergency or disaster to provide immediate assistance to maintain life, improve
health, protect property, restore essential functions, and ensure the security of the
affected population.

(8) Search and rescue means the employment, coordination, and utilization
of available resources and personnel in locating, relieving distress and preserving
life of, and removing survivors from the site of a disaster, emergency, or hazard to a
place of safety in case of lost, stranded, entrapped, or injured persons.

Legislative History

Source: L. 2012: Entire part RC&RE with relocations, (HB 12-1283), ch. 240, p. 1071, � 10, effective July 1. L. 2018: (2) amended and (3.5), (4.3), (4.5), (7.3), (7.5), and (7.7) added, (HB 18-1394), ch. 234, p. 1459, � 3, effective August 8. L. 2025: (2) repealed, (HB 25-1027), ch. 65, p. 273, � 7, effective April 10; (3) amended, (HB 25-1010), ch. 174, p. 726, � 1, effective August 6.