R.I. Gen. Laws § 30-15-12: Local emergency management.

(a) Each city and town of the state shall establish, through local ordinance, a comparable agency, headed by a director, similar to the statewide disaster agency, with powers and duties within their respective jurisdictions similar to those of the agency. This agency shall be known as the “(here insert the name of the city or town) emergency management agency”. Local agencies shall cooperate with and assist the agency and shall perform such services as may be requested by it. Local agencies may act jointly with other such agencies.

(b) The chief executive officer of each city or town has powers and duties with respect to emergency management within his or her city or town similar to those of the governor on the state level, not inconsistent with other provisions of law.