Purpose
The purpose of this activity is to begin setting up for a long-term recovery process following an emergency or disaster. This includes building an understanding of why and when your community needs to issue an emergency or disaster declaration.
Why?
In the immediate aftermath of an emergency or disaster, your community will need help and quick access to resources. Emergency and disaster declarations are the easiest way to do that. Declarations free up many resources needed for damage assessments and open access to funds under the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR). Depending on local ordinances, a declaration can also establish access to policies, procedures, agreements, and codes that may be available in non-disaster times. And finally, a declaration helps to inform mutual aid partners, non-governmental and private sector organizations, and state and federal authorities that a request for assistance may be forthcoming.
When?
In the first hours to days of the event. (Days 1-30)
Tips
- Ensure the declaration adheres to the provisions of C.R.S. 24-33.5-709.
- Include information on timelines of the state of emergency (must expire within 7 days except by consent of the governing board).
- Detail the special provisions and authorities that are conferred by the declaration in the language of the declaration itself.
- The State does not require a declaration to provide assistance.
How does my community do this?
- Identify the procedures for emergency or disaster declaration. These procedures are typically codified in local law and must be closely followed.
- Collaborate with your local office of emergency management and long-term recovery stakeholders. Recovery requires good local and regional collaboration. Work together to draft language for an emergency or disaster resolution or declaration (Download an Emergency or Disaster Declaration Template). This process is generally led by the elected official(s).
- Ratify and adopt the resolution or declaration.
Community Call Out: City of Golden, CO
City of Golden’s City Manager Jason Slowinski issued an Emergency Declaration related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. This declaration indicated that disaster financing to address recovery costs was likely to be more than what was available to the city and that special authorities were likely to be required to address the ongoing problems, including economic distress. The declaration stated that its issuance activated special recovery aspects of local and inter-jurisdictional disaster emergency plans, and gave key local officials the authority to oversee recovery efforts.