(a) The Arkansas Department of Emergency Management shall coordinate and maintain a state emergency operations plan and keep it current, which plan may include:

(1) Prevention and minimization of injury and damage caused by disaster;

(2) Measures for prompt and effective response to disasters;

(3) Emergency relief;

(4) Identification of areas particularly vulnerable to disasters;

(5) Recommendations for zoning, building, and other land use controls, safety measures for securing mobile homes or other nonpermanent or semipermanent structures, and other preventive and preparedness measures designed to eliminate or reduce disasters or their impact;

(6) Assistance to local officials in designing local emergency action plans;

(7) Authorization and procedures for the erection or other construction of temporary works designed to protect against or mitigate danger, damage, or loss from flood, conflagration, or other disasters;

(8) Preparation and distribution to appropriate state and local officials of state catalogues of federal, state, and private assistance programs;

(9) Organization of personnel and the establishment of chains of command;

(10) Coordination of federal, state, and local disaster activities;

(11) Coordination of the state emergency operations plan with the operations plans of the federal government, including without limitation, the National Response Framework;

(12) Establishment of the criteria and definitions for determining catastrophic losses suffered by both individuals and public entities and the enhanced levels of assistance to be provided upon the declaration of a catastrophic loss disaster; and

(13) Other necessary matters.

(b)

(1) In preparing and revising the state emergency operations plan, the department shall seek the advice and assistance of state agencies, local government, business, labor, industry, agriculture, civic, and volunteer organizations, and community leaders.

(2) In advising local and jurisdictional agencies, the department shall encourage them also to seek advice from the entities listed in subdivision (b)(1) of this section.

(c) The state emergency operations plan or any part of the state emergency operations plan may be incorporated in rules of the department or executive orders that have the force and effect of law.