37-17.1-04. Definitions

37-17.1-04. Definitions

As used in this chapter:

1. "Critical industry sectors" means any of the critical infrastructure sectors identified by

the United States government whose assets, systems, and networks, whether physical

or virtual, are considered so vital to the United States and the state that the sectors'

incapacitation or destruction would have a debilitating effect on security, economic

security, public health or safety, or any combination thereof.

2. "Disaster" means the occurrence of widespread or severe damage, injury, or loss of

life or property resulting from any natural or manmade cause, including fire, flood,

earthquake, severe high and low temperatures, tornado storm, wave action, chemical

spill, or other water or air contamination, epidemic, blight, drought, infestation,

explosion, riot, or hostile military or paramilitary action, or cyber attack which is

determined by the governor to require state or state and federal assistance or actions

to supplement the recovery efforts of local governments in alleviating the damage,

loss, hardship, or suffering caused thereby.

3. "Disaster or emergency worker" means any person performing disaster or emergency

responsibilities or duties at any place in this state subject to the order or control of, or

pursuant to a request of, the state government or any political subdivision.

4. "Emergency" means any situation that is determined by the governor to require state

or state and federal response or mitigation actions to protect lives and property, to

provide for public health and safety, or to avert or lessen the threat of a disaster.

Emergencies require an immediate supplement to local governments or aid to critical

industry sectors that provide essential lifeline services.

5. "Emergency management" means a comprehensive integrated system at all levels of

government and in the private sector which provides for the development and

maintenance of an effective capability to prevent, mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and

recover from known and unforeseen hazards or situations, caused by an act of nature

or man, which may threaten, injure, damage, or destroy lives, property, or our

environment.

6. "Homeland security" means a concerted national effort to prevent terrorist attacks

within the United States, reduce America's vulnerability to terrorism, and minimize the

damage and recover from attacks in the United States.

7. "Incident command system" means a standardized on-scene incident management

concept designated specifically to allow responders to adopt an integrated

organizational structure equal to the complexity and demands of any single incident or

multiple incidents without being hindered by jurisdictional boundaries.

8. "Mass care" means food, clothing, shelter, and other necessary and essential

assistance provided to a large number of affected people in response to, or recovery

from, a disaster or emergency.

9. "National incident management system" means a system that provides a consistent

nationwide approach for federal, state, and local governments to work effectively and

efficiently together to prepare for, respond to, and recover from domestic incidents

regardless of cause, size, or complexity.

10. "Wide area search and rescue" means the employment, coordination, and utilization of

available resources and personnel in activities occurring within large geographical

areas for the purpose of locating, relieving distress, and preserving the life of an

individual reported or believed to be lost, stranded, or deemed a high-risk missing

individual, and removing any survivor to a place of safety.