Florida Statutes
Part I - General Provisions (Ss. 252.31-252.64)
252.34 - Definitions.

(1) “Activate” means the execution and implementation of the necessary plans and activities required to mitigate, respond to, or recover from an emergency or disaster pursuant to this chapter and the state comprehensive emergency management plan.
(2) “Disaster” means any natural, technological, or civil emergency that causes damage of sufficient severity and magnitude to result in a declaration of a state of emergency by a county, the Governor, or the President of the United States. Disasters shall be identified by the severity of resulting damage, as follows:
(a) “Catastrophic disaster” means a disaster that will require massive state and federal assistance, including immediate military involvement.
(b) “Major disaster” means a disaster that will likely exceed local capabilities and require a broad range of state and federal assistance.
(c) “Minor disaster” means a disaster that is likely to be within the response capabilities of local government and to result in only a minimal need for state or federal assistance.

(3) “Division” means the Division of Emergency Management within the Executive Office of the Governor, or the successor to that division.
(4) “Emergency” means any occurrence, or threat thereof, whether natural, technological, or manmade, in war or in peace, which results or may result in substantial injury or harm to the population or substantial damage to or loss of property.
(5) “Emergency management” means the preparation for, the mitigation of, the response to, and the recovery from emergencies and disasters. Specific emergency management responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
(a) Reduction of vulnerability of people and communities of this state to damage, injury, and loss of life and property resulting from natural, technological, or manmade emergencies or hostile military or paramilitary action.
(b) Preparation for prompt and efficient response and recovery to protect lives and property affected by emergencies.
(c) Response to emergencies using all systems, plans, and resources necessary to preserve adequately the health, safety, and welfare of persons or property affected by the emergency.
(d) Recovery from emergencies by providing for the rapid and orderly start of restoration and rehabilitation of persons and property affected by emergencies.
(e) Provision of an emergency management system embodying all aspects of preemergency preparedness and postemergency response, recovery, and mitigation.
(f) Assistance in anticipation, recognition, appraisal, prevention, and mitigation of emergencies which may be caused or aggravated by inadequate planning for, and regulation of, public and private facilities and land use.

(6) “Local emergency management agency” means an organization created in accordance with the provisions of ss. 252.31-252.90 to discharge the emergency management responsibilities and functions of a political subdivision.
(7) “Manmade emergency” means an emergency caused by an action against persons or society, including, but not limited to, enemy attack, sabotage, terrorism, civil unrest, or other action impairing the orderly administration of government.
(8) “Natural emergency” means an emergency caused by a natural event, including, but not limited to, a hurricane, a storm, a flood, severe wave action, a drought, or an earthquake.
(9) “Personal protective equipment” means protective clothing or equipment designed to protect an individual person from injury or the spread of infection.
(10) “Political subdivision” means any county or municipality created pursuant to law.
(11) “Public health emergency” means any occurrence, or threat thereof, whether natural or manmade, which results or may result in substantial injury or harm to the public health from infectious disease, chemical agents, nuclear agents, biological toxins, or situations involving mass casualties or natural disasters, declared as a public health emergency as declared by the State Health Officer.
(12) “Technological emergency” means an emergency caused by a technological failure or accident, including, but not limited to, an explosion, transportation accident, radiological accident, or chemical or other hazardous material incident.
History.—s. 1, ch. 74-285; s. 19, ch. 81-169; s. 22, ch. 83-55; s. 16, ch. 83-334; s. 7, ch. 84-241; s. 10, ch. 93-211; s. 31, ch. 2001-61; s. 98, ch. 2011-142; s. 1, ch. 2016-198; s. 3, ch. 2021-8.

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