2023 District of Columbia Code › Title 7 - Human Health Care and Safety › Chapter 23 - Public Emergencies › § 7–2301. Definitions

§ 7–2301. Definitions.
*NOTE: This section includes amendments by emergency legislation that will expire on March 6, 2024. To view the text of this section after the expiration of all emergency and temporary legislation, click this link: Permanent Version.*
As used in this chapter the term:
(1) “Communicable disease” means that term as it is defined in § 7-132(2).
(1A) “District of Columbia response plan” means the District of Columbia’s state plan for public emergency preparedness and prevention prepared pursuant to § 201 of the Disaster Relief Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. § 5121) and § 7-2302.
(1B) “Health care provider” means any person or entity who provides health care services, including hospitals, medical clinics and officers, special care facilities, medical laboratories, physicians, pharmacists, dentists, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, registered and other nurses, paramedics, emergency medical or laboratory technicians, and ambulance and emergency medical workers.
(2) “Mayor” means the Mayor of the District of Columbia or his or her designated agent.
(3) “Public emergency” means any disaster, catastrophe, or emergency situation where the health, safety, or welfare of persons in the District of Columbia is threatened by reason of the actual or imminent consequences within the District of Columbia of:
(A) Enemy attack, sabotage or other hostile action;
(B) Severe and unanticipated resource shortage;
(C) Fire;
(D) Flood, earthquake, or other serious act of nature;
(E) Serious civil disorder;
(F) Any serious industrial, nuclear, or transportation accident;
(G) Explosion, conflagration, power failure;
(H) Injurious environmental contamination which threatens or causes damage to life, health, or property; or
(I) Outbreak of a communicable disease, or significant existence of a deadly or otherwise dangerous disease, disorder, condition, or activity, that threatens or causes damage to life, health, or property.
(4) “Resource” means, but is not limited to, natural gas, heating fuel, automotive fuel, electricity, water, and food.
(Mar. 5, 1981, D.C. Law 3-149, § 2, 27 DCR 4886; Oct. 17, 2002, D.C. Law 14-194, §§ 202(a), 903(a), 49 DCR 5306; Dec. 7, 2023, D.C. Act 25-327, § 2(a), 70 DCR 16075.)
Prior Codifications
1981 Ed., § 6-1501.
Section References
This section is referenced in § 2-534, § 5-132.04, § 7-2361.01, and § 8-634.01.
Effect of Amendments
D.C. Law 14-194, in par. (1), substituted “District of Columbia response plan” for “Emergency operations plan”.
D.C. Law 14-194 redesignated par. (1) as par. (1A); added a new par. (1); in par. (1A), substituted “District of Columbia response plan” for “Emergency operations plan”; added par. (1B); made nonsubstantive changes in pars. (3)(G) and (3)(H); and added par. (3)(I).
Emergency Legislation
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 2(a) of Opioid Crisis and Juvenile Crime Public Emergencies Extension Authorization Emergency Amendment Act of 2023 (D.C. Act 25-327, Dec. 7, 2023, 70 DCR 16075).
Mayor's Orders
Establishment of the Mayor’s Emergency Preparedness Council, see Mayor’s Order 2002-1, February 1, 2002 ( 49 DCR 896).
Amendment of Mayor’s Order 2002-1, dated January 2, 2002, Establishment of the Mayor’s Emergency Preparedness Council (EPC), see Mayor’s Order 2003-121, August 15, 2003 ( 50 DCR 7246).
Declaration of Public Emergency, see Mayor’s Order 2003-135, September 17, 2003 ( 50 DCR 8294).
Declaration of Termination of Public Emergency, see Mayor’s Order 2003-139, September 29, 2003 ( 50 DCR 9958).