Governor Lincoln D. Chafee today signed a Declaration of Disaster Emergency in advance of the landfall of Hurricane Sandy. The order is effective immediately.
According to RI General Law Section 30-15-9, this declaration provides the Governor with numerous emergency powers such as:
- directing all state departments, agencies and related boards to cooperate and coordinate with RI Emergency Management Agency efforts.
- directing law enforcement and environmental authorities to order closures and evacuations of threatened areas as circumstances warrant.
- activating RIEMA's RI State Urban and Search and Rescue Team if necessary for disaster emergency response.
- maintaining continuity of all state operations.
The declaration also makes Rhode Island eligible for a variety of federal supports and resources in managing a disaster and subsequent recovery.
Governor Chafee states, "Out of concern for a prolonged and severe weather event, I felt that signing a declaration of emergency today was a prudent decision that will help us deploy important resources if and when the situation requires. Given that predictions for Hurricane Sandy are still changing, I advise all Rhode Islanders to prepare themselves for power outages and other wind- and rain-related hazards."