(A) A state of emergency shall be deemed to exist whenever, during times of public crisis, disaster, rioting, 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 county or any part thereof, or threatening damage to or destruction of property, the Chairperson of the County Board of Commissioners is hereby authorized and empowered under G.S. § 166A-19.31 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 county, to place in effect any or all of the restrictions hereinafter authorized.
(C) The Chairperson is hereby authorized and empowered to limit, by proclamation, the application of all or any part of such restrictions to any area specifically designated or described within the county 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: law enforcement officers, firefighters and other public employees, rescue squad members, doctors, nurses, employees of hospitals and other medical facilities; on-duty military personnel whether state or federal; on-duty employees of public utilities, public transportation companies, and newspaper, magazine, radio broadcasting, and television broadcasting corporations operated for profit; and such other classes of persons as may be essential to the preservation of public order and immediately necessary to serve the safety, health, and welfare needs of the people within the county.
(Ord. passed 7-7-1981)