39B.070 Execution of emergency powers -- Emergency operations centers -- Waiver of procedures and formalities. Each city, county, urban-county government, or charter county government may: (1) Through the county judge/executive of a county other than an urban-county government, mayor of an urban-county government, chief executive of other local governments, or mayor of a city, or their designees as provided by ordinance, declare in writing a state of emergency when required, and thereafter execute any emergency powers granted under this chapter to provide for adequate and appropriate response to any occurrence or situation or any impending event or situation resulting from any of the situations or events contemplated by KRS 39A.010, 39A.020, or 39A.030; (2) Appropriate and expend funds, make contracts, enact cost-recovery ordinances, obtain and distribute equipment, materials, and supplies for disaster and emergency response purposes; provide for the health and safety of persons and property, including emergency assistance to the victims of any disaster or emergency; review or approve local emergency operations plans; and enact orders or ordinances pertaining to local emergency management programs in accordance with the policies and plans prescribed by the federal and state emergency management agencies and the provisions of KRS Chapters 39A to 39F; (3) Appoint, employ, remove, or provide, with or without compensation, staff assistants to the local emergency management director, and clerical, administrative, technical or other local emergency management agency staff personnel, and local emergency management agency-supervised operating units officially affiliated with the local disaster and emergency services organization by city or county order or ordinance including rescue squads, auxiliary fire, police, and medical personnel, urban search and rescue teams, severe weather spotters teams, damage assessment teams, amateur radio or communications personnel, or other emergency response groups, teams, or personnel, and other disaster and emergency response workers; (4) Establish a primary and one (1) or more secondary emergency operations centers or on-scene command posts to serve as official local government command posts during an emergency, declared emergency, disaster, or catastrophe; (5) Subject to the order of the Governor, or the chief executive of the county, urban- county government, charter county government, or city, to assign and make available for duty, the employees, property, or equipment of the county or city relating to firefighting, engineering, rescue, health, medical and related services, police, transportation, construction, and similar items or services for disaster and emergency response purposes within or outside of the physical limits of the county, urban-county government, charter county government, or city; (6) In the event of a national emergency or state of declared emergency or declared disaster or catastrophe, as provided in KRS 39A.100, waive procedures and formalities otherwise required by the law pertaining to: the performance of public work; entering into contracts; the incurring of obligations; the employment of permanent and temporary workers; the utilization of volunteer workers; the rental of equipment; the purchase and distribution, with or without compensation, of supplies, materials, and facilities; the appropriation and expenditure of public funds; and the demolition and removal of damaged public and private structures; and (7) Confer or authorize the conferring upon members of the auxiliary police the powers of peace officers, subject to the provisions of KRS 61.300, and any other restrictions imposed by the appointing authority. Effective: July 15, 1998 History: Created 1998 Ky. Acts ch. 226, sec. 35, effective July 15, 1998.