# N.D. Cent. Code § 37-17.1-04: 37-17.1-04. Definitions > North Dakota · Statutes · In force URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_ND_T37_C37-17.1_S37-17.1-04 ## Section - **Citation:** N.D. Cent. Code § 37-17.1-04 - **Heading:** 37-17.1-04. Definitions - **Jurisdiction:** North Dakota - **Kind:** Statutes - **Status:** In force - **Text as of:** August 14, 2026 - **Source:** Compiled text - **Location:** ND Code / Title 37 / Chapter 37-17.1 / Section 37-17.1-04 ## Text 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. ## Nearby sections - [N.D. Cent. Code § 37-17.1-01 37-17.1-01. Short title](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_ND_T37_C37-17.1_S37-17.1-01.md) - [N.D. Cent. Code § 37-17.1-02 37-17.1-02. Purposes](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_ND_T37_C37-17.1_S37-17.1-02.md) - [N.D. Cent. Code § 37-17.1-02.1 37-17.1-02.1. Department of emergency services](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_ND_T37_C37-17.1_S37-17.1-02.1.md) - [N.D. Cent. Code § 37-17.1-02.2 37-17.1-02.2. Advisory committee to department of emergency services](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_ND_T37_C37-17.1_S37-17.1-02.2.md) - [N.D. Cent. Code § 37-17.1-02.3 37-17.1-02.3. Criminal history record checks](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_ND_T37_C37-17.1_S37-17.1-02.3.md) - [N.D. Cent. Code § 37-17.1-03 37-17.1-03. Limitations](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_ND_T37_C37-17.1_S37-17.1-03.md) - [N.D. Cent. Code § 37-17.1-04 37-17.1-04. Definitions](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_ND_T37_C37-17.1_S37-17.1-04.md) - [N.D. Cent. Code § 37-17.1-05 37-17.1-05. The governor and disasters or emergencies - Penalty](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_ND_T37_C37-17.1_S37-17.1-05.md) - [N.D. Cent. Code § 37-17.1-06 37-17.1-06. State division of homeland security and emergency management](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_ND_T37_C37-17.1_S37-17.1-06.md) - [N.D. Cent. Code § 37-17.1-07 37-17.1-07. Local or multicounty emergency management organizations](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_ND_T37_C37-17.1_S37-17.1-07.md) - [N.D. Cent. Code § 37-17.1-07.1 37-17.1-07.1. Hazardous chemicals preparedness and response program](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_ND_T37_C37-17.1_S37-17.1-07.1.md) - [N.D. Cent. Code § 37-17.1-08 37-17.1-08. Establishment of interjurisdictional disaster planning and service areas](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_ND_T37_C37-17.1_S37-17.1-08.md) - [N.D. Cent. Code § 37-17.1-09 37-17.1-09. Authority to utilize existing services and facilities](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_ND_T37_C37-17.1_S37-17.1-09.md) - [N.D. Cent. Code § 37-17.1-10 37-17.1-10. Local disasters, mandatory evacuations, or emergencies](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_ND_T37_C37-17.1_S37-17.1-10.md) --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_ND_T37_C37-17.1_S37-17.1-04. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.