166A-19.12. Powers of the Division of Emergency Management.

The Division of Emergency Management shall have the following powers and duties as delegated by the Governor and Secretary of Public Safety:

(1) Coordination of the activities of all State agencies for emergency management within the State, including planning, organizing, staffing, equipping, training, testing, and activating and managing the State Emergency Response Team and emergency management programs.

(2) Preparation and maintenance of State plans for emergencies. The State plans or any parts thereof may be incorporated into department regulations and into executive orders of the Governor.

(3) Coordination with the State Health Director to amend or revise the North Carolina Emergency Operations Plan regarding public health matters. At a minimum, the revisions to the Plan shall provide for the following:

a. The epidemiologic investigation of a known or suspected threat caused by nuclear, biological, or chemical agents.

b. The examination and testing of persons and animals that may have been exposed to a nuclear, biological, or chemical agent.

c. The procurement and allocation of immunizing agents and prophylactic antibiotics.

d. The allocation of the Strategic National Stockpile.

e. The appropriate conditions for quarantine and isolation in order to prevent further transmission of disease.

f. Immunization procedures.

g. The issuance of guidelines for prophylaxis and treatment of exposed and affected persons.

(4) Establishment of a voluntary model registry for use by political subdivisions in identifying functionally and medically fragile persons in need of assistance during an emergency. All records, data, information, correspondence, and communications relating to the registration of persons with special needs or of functionally and medically fragile persons obtained pursuant to this subdivision are confidential and are not a public record pursuant to G.S. 132-1 or any other applicable statute, except that this information shall be available to emergency response agencies, as determined by the local emergency management director. This information shall be used only for the purposes set forth in this subdivision.

(5) Promulgation of standards and requirements for local plans and programs consistent with federal and State laws and regulations, determination of eligibility for State financial assistance provided for in G.S. 166A-19.15, and provision of technical assistance to local governments. Standards and requirements for local plans and programs promulgated under this subdivision shall be reviewed by the Division at least biennially and updated as necessary.

(6) Development and presentation of training programs, including the Emergency Management Certification Program established under Article 5 of this Chapter, and public information programs to insure the furnishing of adequately trained personnel and an informed public in time of need.

(7) Making of such studies and surveys of the resources in this State as may be necessary to ascertain the capabilities of the State for emergency management, maintaining data on these resources, and planning for the most efficient use thereof.

(8) Coordination of the use of any private facilities, services, and property.

(9) Preparation for issuance by the Governor of executive orders, declarations, and regulations as necessary or appropriate.

(10) Cooperation and maintenance of liaison with the other states, the federal government, and any public or private agency or entity in achieving any purpose of this Article and in implementing programs for emergency or war prevention, preparation, response, and recovery.

(11) Making recommendations, as appropriate, for zoning, building, and other land-use controls, and safety measures for securing mobile homes or other nonpermanent or semipermanent works designed to protect against or mitigate the effects of an emergency.

(12) Coordination of the use of existing means of communications and supplementing communications resources and integrating them into a comprehensive State or State-federal telecommunications or other communications system or network.

(13) Administration of federal and State grant funds provided for emergency management purposes, including those funds provided for planning and preparedness activities by emergency management agencies.

(14) Serving as the lead State agency for the coordination of information and resources for hazard risk management, which shall include the following responsibilities:

a. Coordinating with other State agencies and county governments in conducting hazard risk analysis. To the extent another State agency has primary responsibility for the adoption of hazard mitigation standards, those standards shall be applied in conducting a hazard risk analysis.

b. Establishing and maintaining a hazard risk management information system and tools to display natural hazards and vulnerabilities and conducting risk assessment.

c. Acquiring and leveraging all natural hazard data generated or maintained by State agencies and county governments.

d. Acquiring and leveraging all vulnerability data generated or maintained by State agencies and county governments.

e. Maintaining a clearinghouse for methodologies and metrics for calculating and communicating hazard probability and loss estimation.

(15) Utilizing and maintaining technology that enables efficient and effective communication and management of resources between political subdivisions, State agencies, and other governmental entities involved in emergency management activities.

(16) Establishing and operating a 24-hour Operations Center to serve as a single point of contact for local governments to report the occurrence of emergency and disaster events and to coordinate local and State response assets. The Division shall record all telephone calls to the 24-hour Operations Center emergency hotline and shall maintain the recording of each telephone call for at least one year.

(17) Developing, maintaining, and implementing plans for response to any emergency occurring at a fixed nuclear power generating facility located in or near the borders of the State of North Carolina.

(18) Maintaining the State Emergency Operations Center as the facility to house the State Emergency Response Team whenever it is activated for disaster response.

(19) Serving as the agency responsible for the management of intrastate and interstate mutual aid planning, implementation, and resource procurement necessary for supporting emergency response and recovery.

(20) Coordination with the Commissioner of Agriculture, or the Commissioner's designee, to amend or revise the North Carolina Emergency Operations Plan regarding agricultural matters. At a minimum, the revisions to the Plan shall provide for the following:

a. The examination and testing of animals that may have been exposed to a nuclear, biological, or chemical agent.

b. The appropriate conditions for quarantine and isolation of animals in order to prevent further transmission of disease.

(21) Maintenance of an effective statewide urban search and rescue program.

(22) Serving as the lead State agency for the implementation and maintenance of the statewide School Risk and Response Management System (SRRMS) under G.S. 115C-105.49A.