This ordinance is enacted pursuant to the Municipal Powers Act, Connecticut General Statutes § 7-148, and the civil preparedness and emergency management statutes, Connecticut General Statutes §
28-1 et seq., in order to preserve and protect the public health, public safety, general welfare, peace and security of the Town of New Canaan, its residents and their property.
As used in this ordinance, the following definitions
shall apply.
ATTACK
Any attack or series of attacks by a terrorist or an enemy
of the United States causing, or which may cause, substantial damage
or injury to civilian property or persons in any manner by sabotage
or by the use of bombs, shellfire or atomic, radiological, chemical,
bacteriological or biological means or other weapons or processes.
MAJOR DISASTER
Any catastrophe, including, but not limited to, any hurricane,
tornado, storm, high water, wind-driven water, tidal wave, tsunami,
earthquake, volcanic eruption, landslide, mudslide, snowstorm, or
drought, or, regardless of cause, any fire, flood, explosion, or man-made
disaster.
LOCAL EMERGENCY
Any attack or major disaster or other public health or safety
crisis occurring in the Town of New Canaan or adversely affecting
the Town of New Canaan, including incidents occurring elsewhere but
causing regional consequences such as evacuations.
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PERSONNEL
Any organized personnel of the Town of New Canaan engaged
in carrying out civil preparedness functions in the event of an attack,
major disaster, or local emergency, including the Police Department,
the Fire Department, the Department of Public Works, the Highway Department,
the Health Department, and Community Emergency Response Teams under
the direction of Town officials.
In the event of an attack, major disaster, or
local emergency creating a risk of severe hazards to the life, welfare,
or property of the Town of New Canaan or its residents, the First
Selectman may declare the existence of a local state of emergency.
The declaration of a local state of emergency will be communicated
to the public as soon as reasonably possible, and a written statement
of the declaration shall be submitted to the Governor of the State
of Connecticut and the Connecticut Department of Emergency Management
and Homeland Security.
When the hazardous conditions have stabilized
and the state of emergency no longer exists, the First Selectmen shall
declare the termination of the state of emergency in the same manner
as the declaration of its existence. A declaration of a local state
of emergency shall expire after seven calendar days unless the First
Selectman declares a continuation for another seven calendar days.
In the absence or unavailability of the First
Selectman, the Chairman of the Town Council may act in place of the
First Selectman for all purposes under this ordinance. In the event
that both the First Selectman and the Chairman of the Town Council
are absent or unavailable, then the Vice-Chairman of the Town Council
may act in place of the First Selectman for all purposes under this
ordinance.