<div class="chunk-title">Sec. 20-21. - Restrictions authorized.</div>
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               (a)
               
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               A state of emergency shall be deemed to exist whenever, during times of public crisis,
               disaster, rioting, catastrophe, or similar public emergency, for any reason, public
               safety authorities are unable to maintain public order or afford adequate protection
               and/or safety of lives, or property, or whenever the occurrence of any such condition
               is imminent.
               
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               (b)
               
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               In the event of an existing or threatened state of emergency endangering the lives,
               safety, health and welfare of the people within the county or any part thereof, or
               threatening damages to or destruction of property, the chairperson of the board of
               commissioners is hereby authorized and empowered under G.S. 14-288.13 and 166A-19.22
               to issue a public declaration declaring to all persons the existence of such a state
               of emergency and in order to more effectively protect the lives and property of people
               within the county, to place in effect any or all of the restrictions hereinafter authorized.
               
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               (c)
               
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               The chairperson is hereby authorized and empowered to limit by the declaration the
               application of all or any part of such restrictions to any area specifically designated
               or described within the county and to specific hours of the day or night; and to exempt
               from all or any part of such restrictions, while acting in the line of and within
               the scope of their respective duties, emergency management officials, law enforcement
               officers, firefighters and other public employees, rescue squad members, doctors,
               nurses, employees of hospitals and other medical facilities; ARC volunteers and paid
               staff; on-duty military personnel, whether state or federal; on-duty employees of
               public utilities, public transportation companies, and newspaper, magazine, radio
               broadcasting, and television broadcasting corporations operated for profit; and such
               other classes of persons as may be essential to the preservation of public order and
               immediately necessary to serve the safety, health, and welfare needs of people within
               the county.
               
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            <p class="historynote0">
               (Code 1993, Â§ 20-21)
               
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