Mayor Gray Declares State of Emergency in D.C.

Friday, Mayor Vincent Gray signed into order a Declaration of Public Emergency associated with Hurricane Irene, which is rapidly approaching the District and therefore is “an imminent threat to the health, safety and welfare of District residents that require emergency protective actions.”

The declaration is effective Aug. 27, 2011 and shall stay in effect for 15 days until and unless provided for by further Mayoral Order.

In declaring a State of Emergency, Gray urged residents to take the necessary precautions to prepare for the effects of Hurricane Irene.

The storm is expected to bring heavy rain, flash floods, coastal and estuary flooding, high winds and the threat of tornadoes to the area. The city is getting ready for the impending storm and placing agencies on alert.

“While we cannot predict with certainty the path of the hurricane, residents must be ready,” said Mayor Gray. “That means residents need to have a plan that they can activate. If they do not have a plan, they can go to hsema.dc.gov to learn what is needed. These storms can cause power outages that may last through several days. Residents should have an adequate supply of medications, infant formula, water, fresh batteries and other essentials.”

The District’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) will begin operating around the clock at 6 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 27. Interagency personnel will gather at the EOC, at the D.C. Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency’s headquarters on Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE, to monitor conditions and coordinate the District government’s response to the storm.

The Declaration of Public Emergency applies to all departments, agencies and instrumentalities of the District government as provided in the District’s Response Plan (DRP) overseen by the Director of DC Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA). The Chief Financial Officer of the District is authorized to approve the disbursement of all appropriations necessary to carry out the order.

The state of emergency authorizes HSEMA to apply for financial assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other federal, private or non-profit disaster relief and recovery organizations.