Oklahoma § 63-683.3 - Definitions

§ 63-683.3. Definitions

As used in the Oklahoma Emergency Management Act of 2003:

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 63. Public Health and Safety

1. "Emergency management" means the preparation for and the

coordination of all emergency functions by organized and trained

persons, who will extend existent governmental functions and provide

other necessary nongovernmental functions, to prevent, minimize and

repair injury and damage resulting from natural or man-made

disasters developing to such an extent to cause an extreme emergency

situation to arise which by declaration of the Governor jeopardizes

the welfare of the citizens of this state. These emergency

functions include, but are not limited to, fire fighting, law

enforcement, medical and health, search and rescue, public works,

warnings, communications, hazardous materials and other special

response functions, evacuations of persons from affected areas,

emergency assistance services, emergency transportation, and other

functions related to preparedness, response, recovery and

mitigation;

2. "Emergency Operations Plan" means that plan which sets forth

the organization, administration and functions for emergency

management by the state or local government;

3. “Emergency” means any occasion or instance for which, in the

determination of the President of the United States or the Governor

of the State of Oklahoma, federal or state assistance is needed to

supplement state and local efforts and capabilities to save lives

and to protect property and public health and safety, or to lessen

or avert threat of a catastrophe in any part of the state;

4. “Significant events” means all hazardous material releases

of any size and type, earthquakes, fires involving large buildings

or facilities and large grass or wild fires, explosions, bomb

threats, terrorist/civil disturbance, aircraft crash, natural

disaster, utility disruption, dam breach, technological/man-made

incident, search and rescue, structural collapse, and any other

incident that poses significant consequences to the jurisdiction;

5. "Hazard mitigation" means any cost-effective measure which

will reduce or eliminate the effects of a natural or man-made

disaster;

6. "Local organization for emergency management" means an

organization created in accordance with the provisions of the

Oklahoma Emergency Management Act of 2003 by state or local

authority to perform local emergency management functions;

7. “Man-made disaster” means a disaster caused by acts of man

including, but not limited to, an act of war, terrorism, chemical

spill or release, or power shortages that require assistance from

outside the local political subdivision;

8. "Natural disaster" means any natural catastrophe, including,

but not limited to, a tornado, severe storm, high water, flood

waters, wind-driven water, earthquake, landslide, mudslide,

snowstorm, or drought which causes damage of sufficient severity and

magnitude to warrant hazard mitigation or the use of resources of

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 63. Public Health and Safety

the federal government, or the state and political subdivisions

thereof to alleviate the damage, loss, hardship or suffering caused

thereby; and

9. "Political subdivision" shall mean any county, city, town or

municipal corporation of the State of Oklahoma represented by an

elected governing body.

Added by Laws 1967, c. 33, § 3, emerg. eff. Feb. 14, 1967. Amended

by Laws 1976, c. 135, § 2, emerg. eff. May 24, 1976; Laws 1979, c.

50, § 1, eff. July 1, 1979; Laws 1999, c. 57, § 3, eff. July 1,

1999; Laws 2003, c. 329, § 5, emerg. eff. May 29, 2003.