§ 22 — State disaster preparedness plans

§ 22. State disaster preparedness plans. 1. The commission shall\nprepare a state disaster preparedness plan and submit such plan to the\ngovernor for approval no later than one year following the effective\ndate of this act. The governor shall act upon such plan by July first of\nthat year. The commission shall review such plans annually.\n 2. The purpose of such plans shall be to minimize the effects of\ndisasters by: (i) identifying appropriate measures to prevent disasters,\n(ii) developing mechanisms to coordinate the use of resources and\nmanpower for service during and after disaster emergencies and the\ndelivery of services to aid citizens and reduce human suffering\nresulting from a disaster, and (iii) provide for recovery and\nredevelopment after disaster emergencies.\n 3. Such plans shall be prepared with such assistance from other\nagencies as the commission deems necessary, and shall include, but not\nbe limited to:\n a. Disaster prevention and mitigation. Plans to prevent and minimize\nthe effects of disasters shall include, but not be limited to:\n (1) identification of hazards and assessment of risk;\n (2) recommended disaster prevention and mitigation projects, policies,\npriorities and programs, with suggested implementation schedules, which\noutline federal, state and local roles;\n (3) suggested revisions and additions to building and safety codes,\nand zoning and other land use programs;\n (4) suggested ways in which state agencies can provide technical\nassistance to municipalities in the development of local disaster\nprevention and mitigation plans and programs;\n (5) such other measures as reasonably can be taken to protect lives,\nprevent disasters, and reduce the impact of disasters.\n b. Disaster response. Plans to coordinate the use of resources and\nmanpower for service during and after disaster emergencies and to\ndeliver services to aid citizens and reduce human suffering resulting\nfrom a disaster emergency shall include, but not be limited to:\n (1) coordination of resources, manpower and services, using recognized\npractices in incident management and utilizing existing organizations\nand lines of authority and centralized direction of requests for\nassistance;\n (2) the location, procurement, construction, processing,\ntransportation, storing, maintenance, renovation, distribution, disposal\nor use of materials, including those donated, and facilities and\nservices;\n (3) a system for warning populations who are or may be endangered;\n (4) arrangements for activating state, municipal and volunteer forces,\nthrough normal chains of command so far as possible and for continued\ncommunication and reporting;\n (5) a specific plan for rapid and efficient communication, and for the\nintegration of state communication facilities during a state disaster\nemergency, including the assignment of responsibilities and the\nestablishment of communication priorities, and liaison with municipal,\nprivate and federal communication facilities;\n (6) a plan for coordinated evacuation procedures, including the\nestablishment of temporary housing and other necessary facilities;\n (7) criteria for establishing priorities with respect to the\nrestoration of vital services and debris removal;\n (8) plans for the continued effective operation of the civil and\ncriminal justice systems;\n (9) provisions for training state and local government personnel and\nvolunteers in disaster response operations;\n (10) providing information to the public, including coordination with\nany state recognized information and referral services;\n (11) care for the injured and needy and identification and disposition\nof the dead;\n (12) utilization and coordination of programs to assist victims of\ndisasters, with particular attention to the needs of the poor, the\nelderly, individuals with disabilities and other groups which may be\nespecially affected;\n (13) control of ingress and egress to and from a disaster area,\nincluding but not limited to, exempting from travel bans those essential\nprivate and public personnel, as determined by the commission, who are\nsummoned by their employers to assist in emergency services, such as\nutility and other workers who need to reach declared emergency areas in\norder to perform tasks related to the restoration and/or maintenance of\nenergy and communications infrastructure;\n (14) a plan for the delivery of medical supplies and medications to\npharmacies, hospitals and nursing homes located within the area declared\nto be experiencing a disaster emergency.\n (15) arrangements to administer federal disaster assistance;\n (16) a system for obtaining and coordinating situational awareness\nincluding the centralized assessment of disaster effects and resultant\nneeds; and\n (17) utilization and coordination of programs to assist individuals\nwith household pets and service animals following a disaster, with\nparticular attention to means of evacuation, shelter and transportation\noptions.\n c. Recovery. Plans to provide for recovery and redevelopment after\ndisaster emergencies shall include, but not be limited to:\n (1) measures to coordinate state agency assistance in recovery\nefforts;\n (2) arrangements to administer federal recovery assistance; and\n (3) such other measures as reasonably can be taken to assist in the\ndevelopment and implementation of local disaster recovery plans.\n