In view of the existing and increasing possibility of the occurrence of disasters of unprecedented size and destructiveness, resulting from terrorism, enemy attack, sabotage or other hostile action, or from fire, flood, earthquakes or other natural or man-made causes and in order to insure that preparations of this state will be adequate to deal with such disasters, and generally to provide for the common defense and to protect the public peace, health and safety and to preserve the lives and property of the people of the state, it is hereby found and declared to be necessary:
(a) To create an emergency services agency as authorized by law;
(b) To confer upon the Mayor of Charles Town the emergency powers provided herein;
(c) To provide for the rendering of mutual aid among the political subdivisions of the state and with other states and to cooperate with the federal government with respect to the carrying out of emergency services and homeland security functions;
(d) And to establish and implement comprehensive emergency management plans to deal with such disasters. It is further declared to be the purpose of this ordinance and the policy of the state that all homeland security and emergency management funds and functions of this state be coordinated to the maximum of the federal government including its various departments and agencies, of other states and localities and of private agencies of every type, so that the most effective preparation and use may be made of the nation's and this state's manpower, resources and facilities for dealing with any disaster that may occur.
(Passed 3-20-06.)