Sponsored by:
Assemblyman NELSON T. ALBANO
District 1 (Cape May, Atlantic and Cumberland)
Assemblyman MATTHEW W. MILAM
District 1 (Cape May, Atlantic and Cumberland)
SYNOPSIS
Requires State and local emergency operations plans include provisions to address needs of families of emergency responders serving during a disaster or emergency.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning emergency preparedness and amending P.L.1989, c.222.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 18 of P.L.1989, c.222 (C.App.A:9-43.1) is amended to read as follows:
18. The State Office of Emergency Management shall adopt, no later than 12 months following the effective date of this act, a State Emergency Operations Plan, including rules, regulations, and guidelines, that shall be reviewed and updated at least every two years. The plan shall include provisions [, which shall] that:
a. Shall be developed in consultation with the Department of Agriculture, to support the needs of animals and individuals with an animal under their care, including a service animal, in a major disaster or emergency; and
b. Are specifically designed to address the needs and facilitate the safe and timely evacuation of the families and dependents of the emergency responders rendering major disaster or emergency services. In addition, the State Office of Emergency Management shall take appropriate steps to educate the public regarding the resources available in the event of an emergency and the importance of emergency preparedness planning.
(cf: P.L.2006, c.92, s.1)
2. Section 19 of P.L.1989, c.222 (C.App.A:9-43.2) is amended to read as follows:
19. Each county and municipality in the State shall prepare a written Emergency Operations Plan with all appropriate annexes necessary to implement the plan. The development of all plans shall be coordinated with the Emergency Operations Plans of the State, county and neighboring municipalities to ensure a regional coordinated response and the efficient use of resources. These plans shall include provisions [, which shall] that:
a. Shall be developed in consultation with the Department of Agriculture, to support the needs of animals and individuals with an animal under their care, including a service animal, in a major disaster or emergency; and
b. Are specifically designed to address the needs and facilitate the safe and timely evacuation of the families and dependents of the emergency responders rendering major disaster or emergency services. Each Emergency Operations Plan shall be adopted no later than one year after the State Emergency Planning Guidelines have been adopted by the State Office of Emergency Management and shall be evaluated at such subsequent scheduled review of the State Emergency Operations Plan.
(cf: P.L.2006, c.92, s.2)
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would require the State Office of Emergency Management and each county and municipality to include as part of their Emergency Operations Plan a provision specifically designed to address the needs and facilitate the safe and timely evacuation of the families and dependents of the emergency responders rendering major disaster or emergency services.
This bill would implement Recommendation 5 of the Final Report of the Assembly Coastal New Jersey Evacuation Task Force which was submitted to the Speaker on May 23, 2008.