SEC. 33-15-5. Definitions.
The following words, whenever used in this article shall, unless a different meaning clearly appears from the context, have the following meanings:
(a) "Agency," the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, created by Section 33-15-7.
(b) "Director," the Director of Emergency Management, appointed pursuant to Section 33-15-7.
(c) "Emergency management," means the preparation for, the mitigation of, the response to, and the recovery from emergencies and disasters. Specific emergency management responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
(i) Reduction of vulnerability of people and communities of this state to damage, injury and loss of life and property resulting from natural, technological or man-made emergencies or hostile military paramilitary action.
(ii) Preparation for prompt and efficient response and recovery to protect lives and property affected by emergencies.
(iii) Response to emergencies using all systems, plans and resources necessary to preserve adequately the health, safety and welfare of persons or property affected by the emergency.
(iv) Recovery from emergencies by providing for the rapid and orderly start of restoration and rehabilitation of persons and property affected by emergencies.
(v) Provision of an emergency management system embodying all aspects of preemergency preparedness and postemergency response, recovery and mitigation.
(vi) Assistance in anticipation, recognition, appraisal, prevention and mitigation of emergencies which may be caused or aggravated by inadequate planning for, and regulation of public and private facilities and land use.
(d) "Civil defense," whenever it appears in the laws of the State of Mississippi, shall mean "emergency management" unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
(e) "State of war emergency" means the condition which exists immediately, with or without a proclamation thereof by the Governor, whenever this state or nation is attacked by an enemy of the United States or upon receipt by the state of a warning from the federal government indicating that such an attack is probable or imminent.
(f) "State of emergency" means the duly proclaimed existence of conditions of disaster or extreme peril to the safety of persons or property within the state caused by air or water pollution, fire, flood, storm, epidemic, earthquake, resource shortages, or other natural or man-made conditions other than conditions causing a "state of war emergency," which conditions by reasons of their magnitude are or are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment and facilities of any single county and/or municipality and requires combined forces of the state to combat.
(g) "Local emergency" means the duly proclaimed existence of conditions of disaster or extreme peril to the safety of persons and property within the territorial limits of a county and/or municipality caused by such conditions as air or water pollution, fire, flood, storm, epidemic, earthquake, resource shortages or other natural or man-made conditions, which conditions are or are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment and facilities of the political subdivision and require the combined forces of other subdivisions or of the state to combat.
(h) "Emergency" means any occurrence, or threat thereof, whether natural, technological, or man-made, in war or in peace, which results or may result in substantial injury or harm to the population or substantial damage to or loss of property.
(i) "Man-made emergency" means an emergency caused by an action against persons or society, including, but not limited to, emergency attack, sabotage, terrorism, civil unrest or other action impairing the orderly administration of government.
(j) "Natural emergency" means an emergency caused by a natural event, including, but not limited to, a hurricane, a storm, a flood, severe wave action, a drought or an earthquake.
(k) "Technological emergency" means an emergency caused by a technological failure or accident, including, but not limited to, an explosion, transportation accident, radiological accident, or chemical or other hazardous material incident.
(l) "Local emergency management agency" means an organization created to discharge the emergency management responsibilities and functions of a political subdivision.
(m) "Disaster" means any natural, technological or civil emergency as defined in this section that causes damage of sufficient severity and magnitude to result in a declaration of an emergency by a county or municipality, the Governor or the President of the United States. Disasters shall be identified by the severity of resulting damage, as follows:
(i) "Catastrophic disaster" means a disaster that will require massive state and federal assistance, including immediate military involvement.
(ii) "Major disaster" means a disaster that will likely exceed local capabilities and require a broad range of state and federal assistance.
(iii) "Minor disaster" means a disaster that is likely to be within the response capabilities of local government and to result in only a minimal need for state or federal assistance.
SOURCES: Codes, 1942, Secs. 8610-03, 8610-04; Laws, 1942, ch. 206; 1952, ch. 312, Secs. 3, 4; 1980, ch. 491, Sec. 3; 1983, ch. 420, Sec. 1, eff from and after passage (approved March 29, 1983). Laws, 1995, ch. 333, Sec. 3, eff from and after July 1, 1995; Laws, 1998, Ch. 338, § 1, SB 2542, eff July 1, 1998.
PREVIOUS VERSIONS: Pre-1998