Colorado Disaster Declaration Process
Disaster Declarations usually follow these steps:
A local government may declare a local disaster or an emergency through the chair of the Board of County Commissioners, or other principal executive officer of a political subdivision, through an order or proclamation and submit it to the state. This activates response and recovery of all applicable local and inter-jurisdictional disaster emergency plans.
Why Declare a Disaster?
The Colorado Division of Emergency Management, Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, Department of Public Health & Environment, Department of Transportation, Department of Local Affairs, Department of Public Safety, Colorado State Patrol, Department of Human Services, Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Natural Resources are all examples of Colorado agencies who may respond to a disaster.
The State may declare a disaster or emergency by Executive Order or Proclamation of the Governor if the Governor finds a disaster has occurred or that this occurrence or the threat of a disaster or emergency is imminent. This frees up State TABOR reserves and Disaster Emergency funds, enables the Governor to temporarily enact or suspend State restrictions or controls, activates the State Emergency Operations Plan, and activates the State Emergency Operations Center.
The state can also perform a formal federal, state, and local preliminary damage assessment with FEMA to determine if damage amounts may qualify for a presidential disaster request and therefore, federal assistance.
A presidential disaster declaration and/or emergency can be requested by the governor to the President through FEMA, based on the damage assessment, and an agreement to commit state funds and resources to the long-term recovery is made.
Note: The difference between a disaster declaration and an emergency declaration is that an emergency can be declared even though there is no disaster. An example would be the Summit of the Eight or World Youth Day. Additional resources were requested and the State Emergency Operations Plan was activated. Also, an emergency declaration is generally of lesser scope and impact than a major disaster declaration.
Colorado Disaster Emergency Procedures Handbook for Local Governments
Governor’s Disaster Emergency Council
Members:
Representatives from Departments of:
Additional members may be appointed by the Governor. By statute, the council consists of “not less than six members and not more than nine.”