The governing bodies of the political subdivisions of the state are responsible for the all hazard emergency management of their respective jurisdictions. Each political subdivision is authorized to establish, by ordinance or resolution, a local office of emergency management as an agency of the local government and responsible to the governing body, in accordance with the state emergency operations plan and program. Every local coordinator of emergency management shall be appointed by the governing body, subject to the approval of the state director of homeland security and emergency management, and the local coordinator shall have direct responsibility for carrying out the all hazard emergency management program of the political subdivision. The state director shall coordinate the emergency management activities of all local governmental departments and agencies and shall maintain liaison with and cooperate with emergency management agencies and organizations of other political subdivisions and of the state government. Each local organization shall perform emergency management functions within the territorial limits of the political subdivision within which it is organized.
History: 1953 Comp., § 9-13-20, enacted by Laws 1959, ch. 190, § 6; 1973, ch. 247, § 5; 2007, ch. 291, § 13.
ANNOTATIONSThe 2007 amendment, effective July 1, 2007, changed references to the "civil emergency preparedness" to the "all hazard emergency management".