(a) Each political subdivision in the state is within the jurisdiction of, and shall be served by, the Alaska division of homeland security and emergency management.

(b) Each political subdivision is responsible for disaster preparedness and coordination of response

(1) by itself;

(2) in conjunction with other political subdivisions by establishing an interjurisdictional planning and service area under AS 26.23.070; or

(3) in conjunction with the Alaska division of homeland security and emergency management.

(c) Each political subdivision that has not established the ability to mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters shall designate, and provide to the Alaska division of homeland security and emergency management the name of, a liaison officer to facilitate the cooperation and protection of that political subdivision in the work of disaster prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery.

(d) The principal executive officer of each political subdivision in the state shall notify the Alaska division of homeland security and emergency management of the manner in which the political subdivision is providing or securing disaster planning and intends to provide or secure emergency services, identify the person who heads the agency from which the services are or will be obtained, and furnish additional information relating to the services as the Alaska division of homeland security and emergency management requires.

(e) Each political subdivision shall ensure that a written local or interjurisdictional disaster emergency plan for its area is prepared, maintained, and distributed to all appropriate officials. The disaster emergency plan must include a clear and complete statement of the emergency responsibilities of all local agencies and officials.

(f) [Repealed, § 28 ch 32 SLA 1994.]

(g) To the extent that a plan prepared under this section relates to action required to avert human injury or other damage from a release of a hazardous substance, the plan must be substantially equivalent in relevant respects, including the use of a comparable incident command system, to the local emergency plans prepared under AS 26.23.073 and 26.23.075 and the state and regional master plans prepared by the Department of Environmental Conservation under AS 46.04.200 - 46.04.210. The plan must use an incident command system comparable to the system used in those plans and must be reviewed by the Alaska State Emergency Response Commission under AS 26.23.077.

(h) Notwithstanding the definition of “political subdivision” in AS 26.23.900, this section does not empower a political subdivision to perform responsibilities that it is not otherwise empowered to perform. In this section, “political subdivision” includes only a political subdivision that is otherwise empowered to perform the responsibilities assigned under this section.