No. 209. an Act Relating to Emergency Management and Public Safety

NO. 209Page 1

NO. 209. AN ACT RELATING TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND PUBLIC SAFETY.

(H.890)

It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:

Sec. 1. 20 V.S.A. chapter 1 is redesignated to read:

Chapter 1. Civil Defense Generally

Emergency Management

Sec. 2. 20 V.S.A. § 1 is amended to read:

§ 1. PURPOSE AND POLICY

(a) Because of the existing and increasing possibility of the occurrence of disasters or emergencies of unprecedented size and destructiveness resulting from enemy attack, sabotage, or other hostile action, or from flood, fire, storm, or other natural causes, or from radiological incidents or hazardous chemical or substance incidentsallhazardsand in order to insure that preparation of this state will be adequate to deal with such disasters or emergencies, to provide for the common defense and to protect the public peace, health, and safety, and to preserve the lives and property of the people of the state it is hereby found and declared to be necessary:

(1) toTo create a state emergency management agency, and to authorize the creation of local and regionalorganizations for emergency management in the towns and cities of the state;.

(2) toTo confer upon the governor and upon the executive heads or legislative branches of the towns and cities of the state the emergency powers provided herein; and.

(3) toTo provide for the rendering of mutual aid among the towns and cities of the state, and with other statesand Canada, and with the federal government with respect to the carrying out of emergency management functions; and.

(4) toTo authorize the establishment of such organizations and the taking of such steps as are necessary and appropriate to carry out the provisions of this chapter.

(b) It is further declared to be the purpose of this chapter and the policy of the state that all emergency management functions of this state be coordinated to the maximum extent with the comparable functions of the federal government including its various departments and agencies, of other states and localities, and of private agencies of every type, to the end that the most effective preparation and use may be made of the nation’s manpower, resources, and facilities for dealing with any emergencies caused by enemy attack, sabotage or hostile actionresulting from allhazards.

Sec. 3. 20 V.S.A. § 2 is amended to read:

§ 2. DEFINITIONS

As used in this chapter,:

(1) “Allhazards” means any natural disaster, health or diseaserelated emergency, accident, civil insurrection, use of weapons of mass destruction, terrorist or criminal incident, radiological incident, significant event, and designated special event, any of which may occur individually, simultaneously, or in combination and which poses a threat or may pose a threat, as determined by the commissioner or designee, to property or public safety in Vermont.

(2) “Commissioner” means the commissioner of public safety.

(3) “Director” means the director of Vermont division of emergency management.

(2)(4) “Emergency functions” include services provided by the department of public safety,firefighting services, police services, sheriff’s department services,medical and health services, rescue, engineering, air raidemergencywarning services, communications,radiological, chemical and other special weapons defense,evacuation of persons from stricken areas, emergency welfare services (civilian war aid), plant protection of critical infrastructure,emergency transportation, temporary restoration of public utility services, other functions related to civilian protection and all other activities necessary or incidental to the preparation for and carrying out of these functions.

(5) “EPCRA” means the federal Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 11000–11050 (1986).

(3)(6) “Emergency management” means the preparation for and carrying outimplementationof all emergency functions, other than the functions for which military forces or other federal agencies are primarily responsible, to prevent,minimize and repair injury and damage resulting from disasters caused by enemy attack, sabotage, or other hostile action or from flood, fire, storm or other natural causes, or from radiological incidents or hazardous chemical or substance incidents and the preparation and planningplan for,mitigate, and support response and recovery efforts from all hazards. Emergency management includes the equipping, exercising, and trainingdesigned to insure that this state isand its communities areprepared to deal with such disasters or emergencies and includes civil defense activitiesallhazards.

(4) “Civil defense” means the preparation for and carrying out of all emergency functions, other than the functions for which military forces or other federal agencies are primarily responsible, to prevent, minimize or repair injury and damage resulting from or caused by enemy attack, sabotage or other hostile action.

(7) “Hazard mitigation” means any action taken to reduce or eliminate the threat to persons or property from allhazards.

(5)(8) “Hazardous chemical or substance” means:

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(6)(9) “Hazardous chemical or substance incident” means any mishap or occurrence involving hazardous chemicals or substances whichthatmay pose a threat to persons or property.

(10) “Homeland security” means the preparation for and carrying out of all emergency functions, other than the functions for which military forces or other federal agencies are primarily responsible, to prevent, minimize, or repair injury and damage resulting from or caused by enemy attack, sabotage, or other hostile action.

(7)(11) “Radiological incident” means any mishap or occurrence involving radiological activity which may pose a threat to persons or property.

Sec. 4. 20 V.S.A. § 3(b) and (c) are amended to read:

(b) There shall be a director of Vermont emergency management who shall be in immediate charge of the division. The director shall be appointed by the commissioner, with the approval of the governor. The director shall serve at the pleasure of the commissioner and shall hold no other state office. The director shall perform all the following duties:

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(2) Maintain liaison and cooperation with emergency management agencies and organizations of the federal government and,other states, and Canada.

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(c) The commissioner, subject to the approval of the governor, shall delegate to the several departments and agencies of the state government appropriate emergency management responsibilities, and review and coordinate the emergency management activities of the departments and agencies with each other and with the activities of the districts and neighboring states, the neighboring Canadian province of Quebec,and the federal government.

Sec. 5. 20 V.S.A. § 3a is amended to read:

§ 3a. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIVISION; DUTIES

(a) In addition to other duties required by law, the emergency management division shall:

(1) Prepare and maintain a comprehensive state emergency management strategy that includes an emergency operations plan,establish and define emergency planning zones and prepare and maintaina radiological emergency response planfor use in those zones, and prepare an allhazards mitigation plan in cooperation with other state, regional, and local agenciesand in compliance with adopted federal standards for emergency management. The strategy shall be designed to protect the lives and property including domestic animals of persons within this state who might be threatened as the result of allhazards and shall align state coordination structures, capabilities, and resources into a unified andmultidisciplined all-hazards approach to incident management.

(2) The radiological emergency response plan shall be designed to protect the livespersons and property of persons residing within this state who or which might be threatened as the result of their proximity to any operating nuclear reactor. The plan shall be formulated in accordance with procedures approved by the Federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission. TheAt a minimum, the plan shall provide for all the following:

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(2)(3) Assist the state emergency response commission, the local emergency planning committees and the municipally established local organizations referred to in section 6 of this title in carrying out their designated emergency functions, includingdeveloping, implementing, and coordinating emergency response plans.

(3)(4) Provide administrative support to the state emergency response commission.

(b) Each fiscal year, the division of emergency management, in collaboration with state and local agencies, the management of the nuclear reactor, the legislative bodies of the municipalities in the emergency planning zone where the nuclear reactor is located, the Windham regional planning commission, and any other municipality or emergency planning zone entity required by the state to support the radiological emergency response plan, shall develop the budget for expenditures from the radiological emergency response plan fund. The expenditure budget shall include all costs for evacuation notification systems.

(c) From the fund, each town within the emergency planning zone shall receive an annual base payment of no less than $5,000.00 for radiological emergency response related expenditures from the radiological emergency response plan fund. Additional expenditures by municipalities in the emergency planning zone, the Windham regional planning commission, and any other municipality or emergency planning entity defined by the state as required to support the plan, shall be determined during the budget development process established by subsection(b) of this section.

Sec. 6. 20 V.S.A. § 5 is amended to read:

§ 5. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENTPUBLIC SAFETYDISTRICTS

(a) Immediately subsequent to the passage of this chapter theThegovernor shall divide the state into emergency managementpublic safetydistricts not exceeding ten in number, oneto correspond to each Vermont state police troop area, as defined by the commissioner. In making these divisions due consideration shall be given to existing road and rail communication systems and population centers, to the end that eachEachdistrict shall be a reasonably self sustainingself-sustaining, operating emergency management unit. District boundaries shall coincide with existing town or city boundaries.

(b) The emergency management executive in each district shall be known as the district coordinator. The district coordinator shall be appointed by the commissioner with the approval of the governor and upon due consideration of the recommendations of city and town officials within the district and shall serve during the pleasure of the commissioner. The district coordinator shall discharge emergency management powers within his or her district and shall be assisted by a suitable staff, appointed under regulations prescribed by the governor and subject to his or her direction and control. Each emergency managementpublic safetydistrict shall prepare and maintain a hazardous chemical or substanceon filean all-hazards incident response plan in cooperation with theanylocal emergency planning committee (LEPC) in that district and other state and local agencies.

Sec. 7. 20 V.S.A. § 6 is amended to read:

§ 6. LOCAL ORGANIZATION FOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

(a) Each town and city of this state is hereby authorized and directed to establish a local organization for emergency management in accordance with the state emergency management plan and program. TheExcept in a town that has a town manager in accordance with chapter 37 of Title 24, theexecutive officer or legislative branch of the town or city is authorized to appoint a town or city chair for emergency management directorwho shall have direct responsibility for the organization, administration, and operationcoordinationof the local organization for emergency management, subject to the direction and control of the executive officer or legislative branch. If the town or city that has not adopted the town manager form of government and the executive officer or legislative branch of the town or city has not appointed an emergency management director, the executive officer or legislative branch shall be the town or city emergency management director. The town or city emergency management director may appoint an emergency management coordinator and other staff as necessary to accomplish the purposes of this chapter.

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(c) Each local organization shall participate in the development of a hazardous chemical or substance incident responsean allhazardsplan with the local emergency planning committee and the emergency managementpublic safetydistrict.

(d) Each local organization shall annually notify the local emergency planning committee on forms provided by the state emergency response commission of its capacity to perform emergency functions in response to radiological and hazardous chemical or substance incidentsan allhazards incident. Each local organization shall perform the emergency functions indicated on the most recently submitted form in response to radiological or hazardous chemical or substance incidentsan allhazards incident.

Sec. 8. 20 V.S.A. § 7 is amended to read:

§ 7. MOBILE SUPPORT UNITS

(a) Organization. The commissioner, with the approval of the governor, is authorized to create and establish such number of mobile support units as may be necessary to reinforce emergency management organizations in stricken areas and with due consideration of the plans of the federal government, the government of Canada,and of other states. The mobile support units established under the authority of this section shall be organized, administered, and operated under regulations prescribed by the governor. TheseAmobile support unitsunitshall be subject to call to duty and shall perform these functions in this state, in Canada, or in other states in accord with its charter andregulations prescribed by the governor, in accordandwith the terms of this chapter.

(b) Personnel; powers and immunities, compensation.

(1) Personnel of mobile support units while on dutyengaged in emergency management, whether within or without the state, shall:

(1)(A) if they are employees of the state, have the powers, duties, rights, privileges, and immunities and receive the compensation incidental to their employment;

(2)(B) if they are employees of a town or citypolitical subdivision of the state, have the powers, duties, rights, privileges, and immunities and receive the compensation incidental to their employment; and

(3)(C) if they are not employees of the state, or a political subdivision thereof, be entitled to appropriate compensation as fixed by the emergency management boardcommissioner or designee with the approval of the governor,and to the same rights and immunities as are provided by law for the employees of this state.

(2) All personnel of mobile support units shall, while on dutyengaged in emergency management,shall be subject to the operational control of the authority in charge of emergency management activities in the area in which they are serving, and shall be reimbursed for all actual and necessary travel and subsistence expenses.

(c) Reimbursement of towns and citiesmunicipalities. The state shall reimburse a town or citypolitical subdivision of the statefor the compensation paid and actual and necessary travel, subsistence, and maintenance expenses of employees of such town or citypolitical subdivision of the statewhile serving as members of a mobile support unit, and for all payments of death, disability, or injury of such employees incurred in the course of such duty, and for all losses of or damage to supplies and equipment of such town or citypolitical subdivision of the stateresulting from the operation of such mobile support unit.

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Sec. 9. 20 V.S.A. § 8 is amended to read:

§ 8. GENERAL POWERS OF GOVERNOR

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(b) In performing his or hertheduties under this chapter, the governor is further authorized and empowered:

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(2) Plans.

(A) To prepare a comprehensive plan and program for the civil defenseemergency managementof this state, such plan and program to be integrated into and coordinated with the emergency management plans of this state, of the federal government, the Canadian government, and ofother states to the fullest possible extent, andto; and

(B) Tocoordinate the preparation of plans and programs for emergency management with public safety districts, local emergency planning committees, regional planning commissions, andby the cities and townsmunicipalitiesof this state, such plans to be integrated into and coordinated with the emergency management plans and program of this state to the fullest possible extent.

(3) Inventories, training, mobilization. In accordance with such plan and program for the civil defenseemergency managementof the state,:

(A) to ascertain the requirements of the state or the towns and cities thereofmunicipalitiesfor food or clothing or other necessities of life in the event of attackany all-hazards eventand to plan for and procure supplies, medicines, materials, and equipment for the purposes set forth in this chapter;

(B) to make surveys of the industries, resources and facilities within the state as are necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter, provided that no inventory or record of privately owned firearms shall be made under authority of this or any other provision of this chapter; and

(C) to institute training programs and public information programs, and to take all other preparatory steps, including the partial or full mobilization of civil defenseemergency managementorganizations in advance of actual disaster, to insureensurethe furnishing of adequately trained and equipped forces of civil defenseemergency managementpersonnel in time of need.

(4) Cooperation with the president and others. To cooperate with the president and the heads of the armed forces, and the civil defensehomeland securityagency of the United States, and with the officers and agencies of other states in matters pertaining to the civil defenseemergency managementof the state and nation and the incidents thereof; and in connection therewith, to take any measures not inconsistent with the constitution of this state, which he or shethe governormay deem proper to carry into effect any request for the president and the appropriate federal officers and agencies, for any action looking tocivil defenseemergency management, including but not limited to, the direction or control of (A) black-outs and practice black-outs, air raid drills, mobilization of civil defenseemergency managementand homeland securityforces, and other tests and exercises, (B)warnings and signals for drills orattacks and the mechanical devices to be used in connection therewith, (C) the effective screening or extinguishing of all lights and lighting devices and appliances, (D)emergencies, shutting off water mains, gas mains, electric power connections and the suspension of all other utility services, (E) the conduct of civilians and the movement and cessation of movement of pedestrians and vehicular traffic during, prior, and subsequent to drills or attack, (F) public meetings or gatherings, and (G) the evacuation and reception of the civilian population.

(5) To utilize the services and facilities of existing officers and agencies of the state and of the counties andmunicipalities of the state, and all the officers and agencies shall cooperate with and extend services and facilities to the governor as the governor may request.