WHEREAS, a novel coronavirus known as ‘COVID-19’ has been declared a “public health emergency of international concern” by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); and
DECLARATION OF DISASTER EMERGENCY
WHEREAS, a novel coronavirus known as ‘COVID-19’ has been declared a “public health emergency of international concern” by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); and
WHEREAS, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, has declared a National Emergency under the Stafford Act; and
WHEREAS, through a Proclamation of Disaster Emergency by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf, the Pennsylvania Department of Health declared COVID-19 a public health emergency; and
WHEREAS, COVID-19 has the potential to place Centre County in a significant public health emergency; and
WHEREAS, the COVID-19 has the potential to endanger the health, safety and welfare of a substantial number of persons residing in Centre County and threatens to create problems greater in scope than Centre County may be able to resolve; and
WHEREAS, emergency management measures are required to reduce the severity of such disaster and to protect the health, safety and welfare of affected residents in Centre County; and
WHEREAS, this threat of imminent disaster and emergency has the potential to cause significant adverse impacts upon the population, schools, businesses, governments and others throughout Centre County;
NOW, THEREFORE, we, the undersigned Commissioners of Centre County, pursuant to the provisions of Section 7501 of the Pennsylvania Emergency management Services Code, (35 PA C.S.), as amended do hereby declare the existence of a disaster emergency in Centre County.
FURTHER, we direct the Centre County Administrator to coordinate the internal activities of County Government’s continuity of operations plan (COOP).
FURTHER, we direct the Centre County Emergency Management Coordinator to coordinate the activities of the emergency response external to Centre County Government’s COOP, to take all appropriate action needed to alleviate the effects of this disaster, to aid in the restoration of essential public services, and to take any other emergency response action deemed necessary to respond to this disaster emergency.
STILL FURTHER, we authorize officials of Centre County to act as necessary to meet the current demands of this emergency, namely: by the employment of temporary workers, by the rental of equipment, by the purchase of supplies and materials, and by entering into such contracts and agreements for the performance of public work as may be required to meet the emergency, all without regard to those time-consuming procedures and formalities normally prescribed by law, mandatory constitutional requirements excepted.
This Declaration shall take effect immediately.