{"data":{"id":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-63-63-683.11","jurisdiction":"us-ok","citation":"Okla. Stat. tit. 63, § 63-683.11","heading":"Political subdivisions - Emergency management programs","body":"- Emergency management directors - Declaration of local emergency.\n\nA. All incorporated jurisdictions of this state are required to\n\ndevelop an emergency management program in accordance with the\n\nOklahoma Emergency Management Act of 2003. County jurisdictions are\n\nrequired to have a qualified emergency management director as\n\noutlined in this section. Incorporated municipalities are required\n\nto either have an emergency management director or create an\n\nagreement with the county for emergency management services. Each\n\nlocal organization for emergency management shall have a director\n\nwho shall be appointed by the executive officer or governing body of\n\nthe political subdivision, who shall report directly to the chief\n\nexecutive officer or chief operating officer and who shall have\n\ndirect responsibility for the organization, administration, and\n\noperation of such local organization for emergency management,\n\nsubject to the direction and control of such executive officer or\n\ngoverning body. Each local organization for emergency management\n\nshall perform emergency management functions within the territorial\n\nlimits of the political subdivisions within which it is organized,\n\nand, in addition, shall conduct such functions outside of such\n\nterritorial limits as may be required pursuant to this act. Each\n\nlocal emergency management organization shall develop, maintain and\n\nrevise, as necessary, an emergency operations plan for the\n\njurisdiction. Each plan shall address the emergency management\n\nsystem functions of preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation.\n\nSuch plan shall be based upon a hazard and risk assessment for the\n\njurisdiction and shall include provisions for evacuation of all or a\n\nportion of the jurisdiction based upon such risk in the event any\n\ndisaster, as defined in Section 683.3 of this title, necessitates\n\nthe evacuation of its citizens. Every political subdivision shall\n\nensure that there is widespread dissemination of the plan and\n\ninformation to citizens as to how and when such plan is activated\n\nand how citizens are to participate in evacuating their communities\n\nin the event of a disaster. The plan shall be reviewed annually.\n\nSuch plan shall be coordinated with the state.\n\nB. Emergency Management Directors (EMD) shall meet the\n\nqualifications promulgated by the Oklahoma Department of Emergency\n\nManagement (OEM). The minimum qualifications include:\n\n1. U.S. citizenship;\n\n2. High school diploma or equivalent;\n\n3. Valid Oklahoma driver license;\n\n4. Social security number;\n\n5. Has not been convicted of a felony in Oklahoma; and\n\n6. Within one (1) year of appointment, the EMD must complete\n\nbasic emergency management training provided by the OEM.\n\nC. Prior to employment, the employing agency shall obtain a\n\nname-based background search by the Oklahoma State Bureau of\n\nInvestigation to determine if the EMD has been convicted of a\n\nfelony.\n\nD. Each Emergency Management Director shall be responsible for\n\nall aspects of emergency management in their jurisdiction including:\n\nconducting a hazard analysis detailing risks and vulnerabilities,\n\nannually updating the existing all-hazard Emergency Operations Plan\n\n(EOP), conducting and arranging for necessary training of all\n\nrelevant personnel, conducting annual exercises to evaluate the\n\nplan, managing resources, determining shortfalls in equipment,\n\npersonnel and training, revising the EOP as necessary, establishing\n\nand maintaining an office of emergency management, communications,\n\nwarnings, conducting or supervising damage assessment and other pre-\n\nand post-disaster-related duties.\n\nE. Local fire departments, law enforcement and other first\n\nresponse agencies shall notify the Emergency Management Director of\n\nall significant events occurring in the jurisdiction. Emergency\n\nManagement Directors shall promptly report significant events to the\n\nOklahoma Department of Emergency Management.\nducting or supervising damage assessment and other pre-\n\nand post-disaster-related duties.\n\nE. Local fire departments, law enforcement and other first\n\nresponse agencies shall notify the Emergency Management Director of\n\nall significant events occurring in the jurisdiction. Emergency\n\nManagement Directors shall promptly report significant events to the\n\nOklahoma Department of Emergency Management.\n\nF. In carrying out the provisions of this act, each political\n\nsubdivision, in which any disaster as defined in Section 683.3 of\n\nthis title occurs, shall have the authority to declare a local\n\nemergency and the power to enter into contracts and incur\n\nobligations necessary to combat such disaster, protecting the health\n\nand safety of persons and property, and providing emergency\n\nassistance to the victims of such disaster. Each political\n\nsubdivision is authorized to exercise the powers vested under this\n\nsection in the light of the exigencies of the extreme emergency\n\nsituation without regard to time-consuming procedures and\n\nformalities prescribed by law, excepting mandatory constitutional\n\nrequirements, pertaining to the performance of public work, entering\n\ninto contracts, the incurring of obligations, the employment of\n\ntemporary workers, the rental of equipment, the purchase of supplies\n\nand materials, and the appropriation and expenditure of public\n\nfunds.","path":["OK Code","Title 63"],"source_url":"https://www.oklegislature.gov/OK_Statutes/CompleteTitles/os63.pdf","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:36Z","sha256":"493f2013391a05d0486bfbc052a6231e7e3c2e6492190449c809d195d6a3f6bf","source_id":"us-ok","stale":false,"prev":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-63-63-683.1","next":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-63-63-683.12"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}