As used in this article:

(a) "Emergency services" means the preparation for and the carrying out of all emergency functions, other than functions for which military forces are primarily responsible, to protect, respond and recover, to prevent, detect, deter and mitigate, to minimize and repair injury and damage resulting from disasters or other event caused by flooding, terrorism, enemy attack, sabotage or other natural or other man-made causes. These functions include, without limitation, firefighting services, police services, medical and health services, communications, radiological, chemical and other special weapons defense, evacuation of persons from stricken areas, emergency welfare services, emergency transportation, existing or properly assigned functions of plant protection, temporary restoration of public utility services and other functions related to the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of this state, together with all other activities necessary or incidental to the preparation for and carrying out of the foregoing functions. Disaster includes the imminent threat of disaster as well as its occurrence and any power or authority exercisable on account of a disaster that may be exercised during the period when there is an imminent threat thereof;

(b) "Local organization for emergency services" means an organization created in accordance with the provisions of this article by state or local authority to perform local emergency services function;

(c) "Mobile support unit" means an organization for emergency services created in accordance with the provisions of this article by state or local authority to be dispatched by the Governor to supplement local organizations for emergency services in a stricken area;

(d) "Political subdivision" means any county or municipal corporation in this state;

(e) "Board" means the West Virginia Disaster Recovery Board created by this article;

(f) "Code" means the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended;

(g) "Community facilities" means a specific work or improvement within this state or a specific item of equipment or tangible personal property owned or operated by any political subdivision or nonprofit corporation and used within this state to provide any essential service to the general public;

(h) "Disaster" means the occurrence or imminent threat of widespread or severe damage, injury, or loss of life or property resulting from any natural or terrorist or man-made cause, including weapons of mass destruction, fire, flood, earthquake, wind, snow, storm, chemical or oil spill or other water or soil contamination, epidemic, air contamination, blight, drought, infestation or other public calamity requiring emergency action;

(i) "Disaster recovery activities" means activities undertaken prior to, during or following a disaster to provide, or to participate in the provision of, emergency services, temporary housing, residential housing, essential business activities and community facilities;

(j) "Essential business activities" means a specific work or improvement within this state or a specific item of equipment or tangible personal property used within this state by any person to provide any essential goods or service deemed by the authority to be necessary for recovery from a disaster;

(k) "Person" means any individual, corporation, voluntary organization or entity, partnership, firm or other association, organization or entity organized or existing under the laws of this or any other state or country;

(l) "Recovery fund" means the West Virginia Disaster Recovery Trust Fund created by this article;

(m) "Residential housing" means a specific work or improvement within this state undertaken primarily to provide dwelling accommodations, including the acquisition, construction or rehabilitation of land, buildings and improvements thereto, for residential housing, including, but not limited to, facilities for temporary housing and emergency housing, and such other nonhousing facilities as may be incidental or appurtenant thereto;

(n) "Temporary housing" means a specific work or improvement within this state undertaken primarily to provide dwelling accommodations, including the acquisition, construction or rehabilitation of land, buildings and improvements thereto, for temporary residential shelters or housing for victims of a disaster and such other nonhousing facilities as may be incidental or appurtenant thereto; and

(o) "Secretary" means the Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety.