The following words and phrases when used in this chapter shall have, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the meanings given herein:
A man-made, natural or war-caused disaster.
The judicious planning, assignment and coordination of all available resources in an integrated program of prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery for emergencies of any kind, whether from attack, man-made or natural sources.
The preparation for and the carrying out of functions, other than functions for which military forces are primarily responsible, to prevent, minimize and provide emergency repair of injury and damage resulting from disasters, together with all other activities necessary or incidental to the preparation for and carrying out of those functions. The functions include, without limitation, fire-fighting services, police services, medical and health services, rescue, engineering, disaster warning services, communications, radiological, shelter, chemical and other special weapons defense, evacuation of persons from strickened areas, emergency welfare services, emergency transportation, emergency resources management, existing or properly assigned functions of plant protection, temporary restoration of public utility services and other functions related to civilian protection.
The condition declared by the Mayor when, in his or her judgment, the threat or actual occurrence of a disaster is or threatens to be of sufficient severity and magnitude to warrant coordinated local government action to prevent or alleviate the damage, loss, hardship or suffering threatened or caused thereby. A local emergency cannot be declared where the emergency arises solely out of resource shortage as such an emergency may only be declared under the Act by the Governor.
Any industrial, nuclear or transportation accident, explosion, conflagration, power failure, natural resource shortage or other condition, except enemy action, resulting from man-made causes, such as oil spills and other injurious environmental contamination, which threatens or causes substantial damage to property, human suffering, hardship or loss of life.
Any hurricane, tornado, storm, flood, high water, wind-driven water, tidal wave, earthquake, landslide, mudslide, snowstorm, drought, fire, explosion or other catastrophe which results in substantial damage to property, hardship, suffering or possible loss of life.
The absence, unavailability or reduced supply of any raw or processed natural resource or any commodities, goods or services of any kind which bear a substantial relationship to the health, safety, welfare and economic well-being of the residents of the City.
Those conditions which may, by investigation, be found, actually or likely, to:
Affect seriously the safety, health or welfare of a substantial number of residents of the City or preclude the operation or use of essential public services and facilities;
Be of such magnitude or severity as to necessitate seeking state or county supplementation of local efforts or resources exerted or utilized in alleviating the danger, damage, suffering or hardship faced; and
Have been caused by forces beyond the control of man, by reason of civil disorder, riot or disturbance, or by factors not foreseen and not known to exist when appropriation bills were enacted.
For purposes hereof, "state of emergency" includes disasters, local emergencies, man-made disasters, natural disasters, resource shortages, and war-caused disasters.
Any condition following an attack upon the United States resulting in substantial damage to property or injury to persons in the United States caused by use of bombs, missiles, shellfire, nuclear, radiological, chemical or biological means, or other weapons or overt paramilitary actions, or other conditions such as sabotage.