Local jurisdictions have the authority to declare, by resolution, a local state of emergency pursuant to Section 252.38(3)(a)5., Florida Statutes. A local state of emergency directive can be initiated by a county at any time, but in most cases, it should be declared prior to requesting a response or recovery assistance from the state. Declaring a local state of emergency informs state decision-makers that an emergency situation exists beyond the response or recovery capabilities of the local jurisdiction.
The enactment of such a directive will enable counties to:
- Initiate local emergency preparedness and response actions
- Request state assistance, if needed
- Invoke emergency-related mutual-aid assistance
- Waive the procedures and formalities otherwise required of the political subdivision by law, to respond to the emergency