Opinion ID: 2631211
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Failure to Summon State Emergency Assistance

Text: Griffin contends that no evidence has been presented to demonstrate that state emergency assistance was called in to supplement the City's disaster relief efforts. Consequently, an emergency as defined by the Act, did not occur. As defined in I.C. § 46-1002, an emergency requires state emergency assistance to supplement local efforts to save lives and protect property or to avert or lessen the threat of disaster. Id. The City noted that fire units from Asotin County, Washington, Clarkston, Washington, Pullman, Washington, and a private fire unit from the Potlatch Corporation all responded to the fire at the request of the City. The Resolution declaring the state of emergency stated, The emergency exists and local public and private resources are inadequate to provide full compensation, therefore State and Federal assistance is required pursuant to Title 46, Chapter 10 of the Idaho Code and other State and Federal laws pertaining to disaster emergencies and assistance. The district court found that the Act was not violated since § 46-1011, which sets forth the procedural aspects of the Act, does not require the summoning of state emergency assistance. Instead, the state emergency assistance provision is found within the definition of emergency in I.C. § 46-1002. The Resolution was not defective because state emergency assistance was not summoned. Although the definition of emergency within the Act requires the summoning of state emergency assistance, the fact that fire units from surrounding areas were called in satisfies this requirement. The City of Lewiston substantially complied with the procedural requirements set forth in the Disaster Preparedness Act. Consequently, the state of emergency was properly declared and the City and A & R are subject to the immunity provided within the Act.