(a) A state of emergency shall be deemed to exist whenever there is a time of public crisis, disaster, catastrophe or similar public emergency; for any reason, public safety authorities are unable to maintain public order or afford adequate protection for lives, safety or property; or whenever the occurrence of any such condition is imminent.
(b) In the event of an existing or threatened state of emergency endangering the lives, safety, health and welfare of the people within the village or any part thereof, or threatening damage to or destruction of property, the mayor is hereby authorized and empowered under G.S. 14-288.12 and 166A-8 to issue a public proclamation declaring to all persons the existence of such a state of emergency, and, in order to more effectively protect the lives and property of people within the municipality, to place in effect any or all of the restrictions authorized in this article.
(c) The mayor is hereby authorized and empowered to limit by the proclamation the application of all or any part of such restrictions to any area specifically designated or described within the municipal limits and to specific hours of the day or night, and to exempt from all or any part of such restrictions, while acting in the line of and within the scope of their respective duties, public safety officers, firefighters, rescue squad members and other public employees, on-duty public utility employees, public transportation company employees and such other classes of persons as may be essential to the preservation of public order and necessary to serve the safety, health and welfare needs of the people within the village.
(Ord. No. 18, § 1, 10-15-1988)