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Finance Division • Human Resources • Local Support Services Division • Office of Training and Exercises • Operations Division • Preparedness Division • Public Affairs Office • Recovery and Mitigation Division • Technological Hazards Division
The Governor declares a state of emergency when he believes a disaster has occurred, or may be imminent, that is severe enough to require state aid to supplement local resources in preventing or alleviating damages, loss, hardship or suffering.
The declaration empowers the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) to act on behalf of the Governor to access the resources and assets of state agencies such as the Virginia State Police, National Guard and Virginia Department of Transportation to provide immediate aid in response to the impending crisis.
In a state of emergency, VDEM implements the state Emergency Operations Plan and activates the state Emergency Operations Center to full 24-hour staffing to coordinate and direct state resources to assist local governments in emergency response and recovery. The agency also directs the assignment of assets from private organization such as Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service and Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster to fulfill critical lifesaving missions.
Once a local state of emergency has been declared, the Governor may then ask for an emergency declaration, which makes federal resources available for immediate response missions. In the event of a Presidential Disaster Declaration, VDEM is further empowered to coordinate federal agency assets which become available to assist localities.
An emergency declaration preempts generally approved administrative purchasing and procurement procedures to make resources immediately available to rescue, evacuate, shelter, provide essential commodities (i.e., heating fuel, food, etc.) and quell disturbances in affected localities.