The director, with the approval of the adjutant general, shall exercise the following powers, responsibilities, and duties:
(1) To represent the Governor on all matters pertaining to the comprehensive emergency management program and the disaster and emergency response of the Commonwealth;
(2) To coordinate the development of a statewide comprehensive emergency management program, and through it, an integrated emergency management system for the disaster and emergency response of the Commonwealth;
(3) To promulgate administrative regulations and issue orders, directives, standards, rules, procedures, guidance, or recommended practices necessary to coordinate the development, administration, organization, operation, implementation, and maintenance of the statewide comprehensive emergency management program and the integrated emergency management system of the Commonwealth;
(4) To coordinate the development of comprehensive emergency management programs by the cities, counties, and urban-county or charter county governments as functional components of the integrated emergency management system of the Commonwealth;
(5) To supervise the development and maintenance of the Kentucky Emergency Operations Plan, and to review and give concurrence to local emergency operations plans required pursuant to KRS Chapters 39A to 39F;
(6) To coordinate the comprehensive emergency management program of the Commonwealth with the emergency management or other emergency response-related programs of the federal government, and of other states, to the fullest appropriate extent;
(7) To advise the Governor and the adjutant general immediately of the occurrence or threatened or impending occurrence of any disaster or emergency, and to recommend to the Governor any emergency executive action that the Governor should execute;
(8) To serve as the Governor’s primary liaison with local officials in the event of the occurrence, or threatened or impending occurrence, of any disaster or emergency in the cities, counties, urban-counties, or charter counties of the Commonwealth;
(9) To take any other preparedness or response actions deemed necessary for adequate response to a disaster or emergency situation to include: requesting increased readiness activities by state or local agencies in advance of an actual disaster or emergency; requesting implementation of local emergency operations plans or the activation of local emergency operations centers; requesting reports from state or local agencies regarding emergency situations, damage assessments, or the taking of emergency response actions; and requesting the mobilization or deployment of any trained and equipped forces of state or local government for the disaster and emergency response purposes set forth in KRS Chapters 39A to 39F;
(10) To request and utilize the personnel, equipment, services, and facilities of existing officers and agencies of the Commonwealth and of all political
subdivisions and special districts. All these officers and agencies shall fully cooperate with and extend their resources to the director as requested to the extent that local public safety is not unreasonably compromised;
(11) To employ measures and give directions to the state or local boards of health as necessary for the purpose of securing compliance with the provisions of KRS Chapters 39A to 39F, or with the findings or recommendations of the boards of health, because of conditions arising from disasters, emergency situations, national security emergencies, or the threat thereof;
(12) To request and utilize the services of state and local law enforcement officers for the purpose of securing compliance with the provisions of KRS Chapters
39A to 39F, or any order of the Governor pertaining to disaster and emergency response;
(13) On behalf of this Commonwealth, with the approval of the Governor or act of the General Assembly, to enter into reciprocal aid agreements or compacts with other states and the federal government, either on a statewide, local, county, or city basis, or with other states or a province of a foreign country. The mutual aid agreements shall be limited to the furnishing or exchange of food, clothing, medicine, and other supplies; engineering services; emergency housing; police services; National Guard personnel and resources while under the control of the state; health, medical, and related services; firefighting; rescue; search and rescue or recovery; urban search and rescue; hazardous materials response services, transportation and construction services and equipment; personnel necessary to provide or conduct these services and other supplies, equipment, facilities, personnel, and services as needed; the reimbursement of costs and expenses for equipment, supplies, personnel, and similar items for mobile support units, firefighting, search and rescue, and police units, and health units; and on the terms and conditions deemed necessary;
(14) To sponsor and develop mutual aid plans and agreements among the urban-county or charter county governments, counties, cities, and other political subdivisions and special districts of the Commonwealth, similar to the mutual aid arrangements with other states referred to in subsection (13) of this section;
(15) To procure motor vehicles, radio and telecommunications equipment, protective clothing, safety equipment, and other necessary supplies and materials to meet the emergency response, operational, and administrative needs of the division;
(16) To identify deficiencies existing in the emergency management program organization, facilities, and capabilities of the Commonwealth, including but not limited to: personnel and administrative resources; state, sub-state, area, or local emergency operations centers; mobile command posts; emergency telecommunications and computer systems; alerting and warning systems; stockpiles of critical resources; or any other necessary elements, and to recommend to the adjutant general, for consideration by the Governor or the General Assembly or other appropriate funding authority, the administrative or operational funding requirements, and long-range capital construction or improvement projects needed to meet the emergency management
infrastructure needs of the Commonwealth;
(17) To serve as the state coordinating officer and notify the Governor of the appropriations necessary to fund the expected emergency operational or response costs of the division, and the Commonwealth’s share of the grants provided by Pub.L.No. 93-288, Title V, Federal Disaster Assistance Programs as amended by Pub.L.No. 100-707, the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, or successor acts or titles, and further, take action necessary to ensure entitlement to all other federal relief or assistance programs;
(18) To cooperate with the President of the United States, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and other appropriate federal offices and agencies, and the offices and agencies of other states in matters pertaining to the comprehensive emergency management program of the Commonwealth and nation; and in connection with these, to take any measures considered necessary to implement any request of the President and the appropriate federal offices and agencies, for any action requiring effective disaster and emergency response, including the direction or control and mobilization of disaster and emergency response forces; tests and exercises, warnings, and signals for drills or other emergency response activities and the mechanical devices to be used in connection with these; the shutting off of water mains, gas mains, electric power connections, and the suspension of all other utility services; the conduct of civilians and the movement and cessation of movement of pedestrians and vehicular traffic during, prior, and subsequent to a drill, emergency, declared emergency, or disaster; public meetings or gatherings; and the evacuation and sheltering of the civilian population; and
(19) To delegate any authority vested in the director under KRS Chapters 39A to
39F and to provide for the subdelegation of any such authority.
Effective:April 11, 2021
History: Amended 2021 Ky. Acts ch. 205, sec. 3, effective April 11, 2021. — Amended 2006 Ky. Acts ch. 193, sec. 7, effective July 12, 2006. — Amended
2002 Ky. Acts ch. 82, sec. 4, effective March 28, 2002. — Created 1998 Ky. Acts ch. 226, sec. 7, effective July 15, 1998.