§722. Purpose

A. Because of the existing possibility of the occurrence of emergencies and disasters of unprecedented size and destructiveness resulting from terrorist events, enemy attack, sabotage, or other hostile action, or from fire, flood, earthquake, or other natural or manmade causes, and in order to ensure that preparations of this state will be adequate to deal with such emergencies or disasters, and in order to detect, prevent, prepare for, investigate, respond to, or recover from these events, and generally to preserve the lives and property of the people of the state of Louisiana, it is hereby found and declared to be necessary:

(1) To create and provide for designation of the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness as the state homeland security and emergency preparedness agency and to authorize the creation of local organizations for emergency preparedness in the political subdivisions of the state.

(2) To confer upon the governor and upon the parish presidents the emergency powers provided in this Chapter.

(3) That statewide and local plans for homeland security and emergency preparedness be prepared and approved without further delay and be maintained current to the maximum extent possible.

(4) To reduce vulnerability of people and communities of this state to damage, injury, and loss of life and property resulting from natural or man-made catastrophes, riots, acts of terrorism, or hostile military or paramilitary action.

(5) To prepare for prompt and efficient evacuation, rescue, care, and treatment of persons victimized or threatened by disasters or emergency.

(6) To provide a setting conducive to the rapid and orderly start of restoration and rehabilitation of persons and property affected by emergencies or disasters.

(7) To authorize and provide for cooperation in emergency or disaster prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.

(8) To authorize and provide for management systems embodied by coordination of activities relating to emergency or disaster prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery by agencies and officers of this state, and similar state-local, interstate, and foreign activities in which the state and its political subdivisions may participate.

B. It is further declared to be the purpose of this Chapter and the policy of the state of Louisiana that all homeland security and emergency preparedness functions of the state be coordinated to the maximum extent possible with the comparable functions of the federal government, 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 resources and facilities available for dealing with any emergency or disaster that may occur.

C. It is further declared to be the purpose of this Chapter and the policy of the state of Louisiana that all homeland security and emergency preparedness functions of the state shall follow the principles outlined in the National Incident Management System (NIMS) or its successor.

Acts 1993, No. 800, §1, eff. June 22, 1993; Acts 2003, No. 40, §2, eff. May 23, 2003; Acts 2006, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 35, §1, eff. March 1, 2006; Acts 2006, No. 442, §§1, 3, eff. June 15, 2006.