KRS 39B.070: Execution of emergency powers -- Emergency operations centers --

Waiver of procedures and formalities.

Each city, county, urban-county government, or charter county government may:

(1) Through the county judge/executive of a county other than an urban -county

government, mayor of an urban -county government, chief executive of other local

governments, or mayor of a city, or their designees as provided by ordinance,

declare in writing a state of emergency when required, and thereafter execute any

emergency powers granted under this chapter to provide for adequate and

appropriate response to any occurrence or situation or any impending event or

situation resulting from any of the situations or events contemplated by KRS

39A.010, 39A.020, or 39A.030;

(2) Appropriate and expend funds, make contracts, enact cost -recovery ordinances,

obtain and distribute equipment, materials, and supplies for disaster and emergency

response purposes; provide for the health and safety of persons and property,

including emergency assistance to the victims of any disaster or emergency; review

or approve local emergency operations plans; and enact orders or ordinances

pertaining to local emergency management programs in accordance with the

policies and plans prescribed by the federa l and state emergency management

agencies and the provisions of KRS Chapters 39A to 39F;

(3) Appoint, employ, remove, or provide, with or without compensation, staff assistants

to the local emergency management director, and clerical, administrative, techn ical

or other local emergency management agency staff personnel, and local emergency

management agency-supervised operating units officially affiliated with the local

disaster and emergency services organization by city or county order or ordinance

including rescue squads, auxiliary fire, police, and medical personnel, urban search

and rescue teams, severe weather spotters teams, damage assessment teams,

amateur radio or communications personnel, or other emergency response groups,

teams, or personnel, and other disaster and emergency response workers;

(4) Establish a primary and one (1) or more secondary emergency operations centers or

on-scene command posts to serve as official local government command posts

during an emergency, declared emergency, disaster, or catastrophe;

(5) Subject to the order of the Governor, or the chief executive of the county, urban -

county government, charter county government, or city, to assign and make

available for duty, the employees, property, or equipment of the county or ci ty

relating to firefighting, engineering, rescue, health, medical and related services,

police, transportation, construction, and similar items or services for disaster and

emergency response purposes within or outside of the physical limits of the county,

urban-county government, charter county government, or city;

(6) In the event of a national emergency or state of declared emergency or declared

disaster or catastrophe, as provided in KRS 39A.100, waive procedures and

formalities otherwise required by th e law pertaining to: the performance of public

work; entering into contracts; the incurring of obligations; the employment of

permanent and temporary workers; the utilization of volunteer workers; the rental of

equipment; the purchase and distribution, wit h or without compensation, of

supplies, materials, and facilities; the appropriation and expenditure of public funds;

and the demolition and removal of damaged public and private structures; and

(7) Confer or authorize the conferring upon members of the au xiliary police the powers

of peace officers, subject to the provisions of KRS 61.300, and any other

restrictions imposed by the appointing authority.