A state of emergency is a legal clause that grants governments powers they wouldn’t normally be able to use. It’s often triggered by events that will impact civilians, such as a natural disaster or disease epidemic. There are typically conditions required to call a state of emergency, and limits on how long it can be maintained. However, there are some states that have a more general statute that can be used in almost any event.
The first step in imposing a state of emergency is for the governor to announce it publicly. The declaration puts the state’s emergency management agency on full alert. It also opens up state and federal-through-state funding streams for emergency response and recovery efforts. Localities can also impose restrictions under the authority of their own emergency declarations. This may include limiting the sale of certain goods and services or closing public facilities. It can also include allowing organizations such as The Red Cross or the Salvation Army to fill critical needs. Additionally, the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service and the Civil Air Patrol can assist with public safety communications.
Upon the announcement of a state of emergency, the executive branch can immediately make regulations to deal with the situation at hand. This can include infringing on the freedoms enshrined in the constitution, but only if it’s “reasonably justifiable for the purposes of dealing with the situation that exists during the period of the State of Emergency.” The duration of the state of emergency is typically determined by how long it takes to deal with the crisis at hand, and can be revoked or extended as needed.