GOHSEP Elected_Officials_Manual_2015

GOHSEP
Louisiana Elected Officials
Emergency Management Manual
Prepare + Prevent + Respond + Recover + mitigate
5.1 Declaration Process: Municipal +
Parish + Governor + Presidential
state + local declarations
The Louisiana Homeland Security and Emergency Assistance and Disaster Act (Disaster Act) –
Louisiana Revised Statutes (LRS) Title 29:721 - 739 – provides the authority for the Governor, Parish
Presidents and municipal chief executive officers to issue emergency declarations. The Governor
can declare a state of emergency for the State or within the State; Parish Presidents and Mayors
can declare a state of emergency in their respective jurisdictions. The occurrence of a disaster or
emergency requires a response that creates issues not experienced in the everyday management
of government. The emergency declaration grants the Governor and local officials in the declared
area the authority to exercise extraordinary police powers to respond to the incident, powers
they do not possess without the issuance of a properly executed emergency declaration.
presidential
declaration
The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and
Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act)
authorizes the President to issue a major disaster
or emergency declaration, or both, for disasters
that overwhelm the combined capabilities of
State and local government resources.
emergency DECLARATION
An emergency declaration addresses
impending disasters or emergencies. It is
issued when, in the determination of the
President, Federal assistance is needed to
supplement State and local efforts and
capabilities to save lives and to protect
property and public health and safety, or to
lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe.
EMERGENCY DECLARATION
EMERGENCY DECLARATION
WHEREAS, (Name or description of the hazard/threat) has the potential to cause extensive
damage in _______________ Parish; and
WHEREAS, there is a considerable amount of uncertainty with the (explain if the uncertainty is
weather or hazmat related); and
WHEREAS, immediate emergency actions are required to minimize the effects of the (type of
incident); and
WHEREAS, the area involved is in need of emergency actions and support to respond to the
(type/name of incident); and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that I, ____________________, Parish President of
__________________Parish, by authority vested in me by the Home Rule Charter and
ordinances of _________________ Parish, the Louisiana Emergency Assistance and Disaster
Act of 2006, and any other acts which may prevail, do hereby proclaim
A STATE OF EMERGENCY
to exist in ____________________Parish and that all Emergency Operations Plans be
activated and that the ____________________Parish, Office of Emergency Preparedness and
Homeland Security be hereby designated as point of contact.
THIS EMERGENCY DECLARATION ISSUED ON THIS on the ___day of _________, 20__,
AND EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY AT TIME OF ISSUANCE.
(Signature)
(TYPED NAME OF THE PARISH PRESIDENT)
Parish President
_______________________Parish
CERTIFICATION
I, the undersigned, do hereby certify that the above is a true and correct copy of the emergency
declaration declared by _______________Parish, Louisiana on the ___day of _________,
20__.
(Clerk of Court Signature)
(TYPED NAME OF CLERK OF COURT)
Clerk of Court
_____________________ Parish
5.1 Declaration Process Page 1 of 6
WHEREAS, (Name or description of the hazard/threat) has the potential to cause extensive
damage in _______________ Parish; and