(a) Because of the existing and continuing possibility of the occurrence of emergencies and disasters resulting from natural, technological, or manmade causes, including acts of terrorism and the recovery therefrom; in order to ensure that preparations of this state will be adequate to deal with, reduce vulnerability to, and recover from such emergencies and disasters; to provide for the common defense and to protect the public peace, health, and safety; and to preserve the lives and property of the people of the state, it is hereby found and declared to be necessary to:
Emergency: means an occurrence, or threat thereof, whether natural, technological, or manmade, in war or in peace, that results or may result in substantial injury or harm to the population, or substantial damage to or loss of property. See Tennessee Code 58-2-101
Emergency management: means the preparation for, the mitigation of, the response to, and the recovery from emergencies and disasters. See Tennessee Code 58-2-101
Political subdivision: means any municipality or county, including any county having metropolitan form of government, created pursuant to law. See Tennessee Code 58-2-101
State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(1) Create a state emergency management agency to be known as the “Tennessee emergency management agency” (TEMA), to authorize the creation of local organizations for emergency management in the political subdivisions of the state, and to authorize cooperation with the federal government and the governments of other states;(2) Confer upon the governor, TEMA, and the governing body of each political subdivision of the state the emergency powers provided herein;(3) Provide for the rendering of mutual aid among the political subdivisions of the state, with other states, and with the federal government with respect to carrying out all emergency management functions and responsibilities;(4) Authorize the establishment of such organizations and the development and employment of such measures as are necessary and appropriate to carry out this chapter; and(5) Provide the means to assist in the prevention or mitigation of emergencies which may be caused or aggravated by inadequate planning for, and regulation of, public and private facilities and land use, not to exclude flood plain management.(b) It is further declared to be the purpose of this chapter and the policy of the state that all emergency management functions of the state be coordinated to the maximum extent with comparable functions of the federal government, including its various departments, agencies of other states and localities, and private agencies of every type, to the end that the most effective preparation and use may be made of the manpower, resources, and facilities of the nation for dealing with any emergency that may occur.
