if an emergency arises in their community. Did you know that a law was passed that allows your pets to be evacuated with you in an emergency? See below for the full text of the law. It is recommended that you pack a three-day supply of essentials for your family and your pet(s) The following items should be stored in a special pet evacuation travel kit or be nearby for quick packing. If you have more than one pet, multiply their needs as necessary.
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Emergency Evacuation Preparation and "The Pet Protection Act" added 4/5/08
Substitute House Bill No. 5186 Public Act No. 07-11 AN ACT CONCERNING THE EVACUATION OF PETS AND SERVICE ANIMALS AND APPROVAL OF THE LOCAL EMERGENCY PLAN OF OPERATIONS. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened: Section 1. Subdivision (4) of section 28-1 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2007): (4) "Civil preparedness" means all those activities and measures designed or undertaken (A) to minimize or control the effects upon the civilian population of major disaster, (B) to minimize the effects upon the civilian population caused or which would be caused by an attack upon the United States, (C) to deal with the immediate emergency conditions which would be created by any such attack, major disaster or emergency, and (D) to effectuate emergency repairs to, or the emergency restoration of, vital utilities and facilities destroyed or damaged by any such attack, major disaster or emergency. Such term shall include, but shall not be limited to, (i) measures to be taken in preparation for anticipated attack, major disaster or emergency, including the establishment of appropriate organizations, operational plans and supporting agreements; the recruitment and training of personnel; the conduct of research; the procurement and stockpiling of necessary materials and supplies; the provision of suitable warning systems; the construction and preparation of shelters, shelter areas and control centers; and, when appropriate, the nonmilitary evacuation of the civilian population, pets and service animals; (ii) measures to be taken during attack, major disaster or emergency, including the enforcement of passive defense regulations prescribed by duly established military or civil authorities; the evacuation of personnel to shelter areas; the control of traffic and panic; and the control and use of lighting and civil communication; and (iii) measures to be taken following attack, major disaster or emergency, including activities for fire fighting; rescue, emergency medical, health and sanitation services; monitoring for specific hazards of special weapons; unexploded bomb reconnaissance; essential debris clearance; emergency welfare measures; and immediately essential emergency repair or restoration of damaged vital facilities. Sec. 2. Section 28-7 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2007): (a) Each town or city of the state shall establish a local organization for civil preparedness in accordance with the state civil preparedness plan and program, provided any two or more towns or cities may, with the approval of the commissioner, establish a joint organization for civil preparedness. The authority of such local or joint organization for civil preparedness shall not supersede that of any regularly organized police or fire department. No town or city of the state shall be eligible for any state or federal benefits under this chapter until such town or city has submitted to the commissioner an emergency plan of operations approved by the local director of civil preparedness and the local chief executive which is subsequently approved by the commissioner. Such emergency plan of operations shall not be approved by the commissioner unless the commissioner determines that the plan proposes strategies that address all the activities and measures of civil preparedness identified in subdivision (4) of section 28-1, as amended by this act. (b) Each local organization for civil preparedness shall consist of an advisory council and a director appointed by the chief executive officer. The advisory council shall contain representatives of city or town agencies concerned with civil preparedness and representatives of interests, including business, labor, agriculture, veterans, women's groups and others, which are important to the civil preparedness program in the particular community. The director shall be responsible for the organization, administration and operation of such local organization, subject to the direction and control of the commissioner. The chief executive officer may remove any local director for cause. (c) Each local or joint organization shall perform such civil preparedness functions in the territorial limits within which it is organized as the commissioner prescribes. In addition, such local or joint organization shall conduct such functions outside such territorial limits as are prescribed by the state civil preparedness plan and program or by the terms of any mutual aid agreements to which the town is a party. (d) The director of each local or joint organization may, with the approval of the commissioner, collaborate with other public and private agencies within the state and develop or cause to be developed mutual aid agreements for civil preparedness aid and assistance in case of disaster too great to be dealt with unassisted. The director of such joint or local organization may, with the approval of the commissioner, enter into such mutual aid agreements with civil preparedness agencies or organizations in other states. Such agreements shall be consistent with the state civil preparedness plan and program and, in time of emergency, each local or joint organization shall render assistance in accordance with the provisions of such agreements to which it is a party unless otherwise ordered by the commissioner. (e) Each town or city shall have the power to make appropriations for the payment of salaries and expenses of its local or joint organization or any other civil preparedness agencies or instrumentalities. (f) In the event of a serious disaster or of a sudden emergency, when such action is deemed necessary for the protection of the health and safety of the people, and upon request of the local chief executive authority, the Governor or the commissioner, without regard to the provisions of section 22a-148, may authorize the temporary use of such civil preparedness forces, including civil preparedness auxiliary police and firemen, as he deems necessary. Personnel of such civil preparedness forces shall be so employed only with their consent. The provisions of section 28-14 shall apply to personnel so employed. (g) The state shall reimburse any town or city rendering aid under this section for the compensation paid and actual and necessary travel, subsistence and maintenance expenses of employees of such town or city while rendering such aid, and for all payments for death, disability or injury of such employees in the course of rendering such aid and for all losses of or damage to supplies or equipment of such town or city incurred in the course of rendering such aid. (h) Whenever, in the judgment of a local civil preparedness director, with prior approval of the commissioner, it is deemed essential to authorize the temporary assignment, with their consent, of any members of civil preparedness forces who are not paid employees of the state or any political subdivision thereof, for a temporary civil preparedness mission, the provisions of section 28-14 shall apply. A complete written record of the conditions and dates of such assignment shall be maintained by the local director concerned and such record shall be available for examination by the commissioner and the Attorney General. The commissioner shall establish the necessary procedures to administer this section. Approved May 7, 2007 |
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