Emergency Declarations
An emergency declaration is a formal policy announcement that activates special legal powers and resources to address an urgent and critical situation. It can be issued at the local, state, or federal level, and allows authorities to bypass normal procedures to respond to events like natural disasters, public health crises, or civil unrest. In general, emergency declarations trigger a range of actions at various government levels, primarily aimed at protecting life, property, and public health during a disaster. Declarations allow for the mobilization of resources and the implementation of measures that might not be possible under normal circumstances. These actions can include supplementing state and local efforts, providing assistance to individuals and businesses, facilitating infrastructure repair, and increasing the availability of financial resources.
Emergency Declarations issued by the Adams County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) are listed below:
Declarations
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR
ADAMS COUNTY, STATE OF COLORADO
RESOLUTION RATIFYING MAY 19, 2025, DISASTER DECLARATION
Resolution 2025-277
WHEREAS, Colorado law provides for the statewide and local prevention of, preparation for, response to, and recovery from disasters; and,
WHEREAS, pursuant to § 24-33.5-703(3), C.R.S., as amended, “disaster” is defined to mean “the occurrence or imminent threat of widespread or severe damage, injury, or loss of life or property resulting from any natural cause or cause of human origin, including but not limited to fire, flood, earthquake, wind, storm, wave action, hazardous substance incident, oil spill or other water contamination requiring emergency action to avert danger or damage, volcanic activity, epidemic, air pollution, blight, drought, infestation, explosion, civil disturbance, or hostile military or
paramilitary action, or a condition of riot, insurrection, or invasion existing in the state or in any county, city, town, or district in the state;” and,
WHEREAS, pursuant to § 24-33.5-709, C.R.S., a local disaster may be declared “only by the principal executive officer of a political subdivision;” and,
WHEREAS, pursuant to §§ 30-10-307 and 308, C.R.S., as amended, the chairman of the Board of County Commissioners is authorized to sign all county orders and is statutorily authorized to act as the principal executive officer; and,
WHEREAS, pursuant to § 24-33.5-709(1), C.R.S., as amended, the declaration of a local disaster “shall not be continued or renewed for a period in excess of seven days except by or with the consent of the governing board of the political subdivision;” and,
WHEREAS, pursuant to § 24-33.5-709(1), C.R.S., as amended, any order declaring, continuing, or terminating a local disaster “shall be given prompt and general publicity and shall be filed promptly with the county clerk and recorder;” and,
WHEREAS, pursuant to § 24-33.5-709(2), C.R.S., as amended, the effect of declaring a local disaster “is to activate the response and recovery aspects of any and all applicable local and interjurisdictional disaster emergency plans and to authorize the furnishing of aid and assistance under such plans”; and,
WHEREAS, by declaring a local disaster, the current Adams County Disaster Policies adopted by the BOCC are in effect; and,
WHEREAS, because of tornado damage, which occurred or began to occur on May 18, 2025, Adams County and/or jurisdictions within its boundaries, is suffering or has suffered a disaster as defined under § 24-33.5-703(3), C.R.S., as amended; and,
WHEREAS, the cost and magnitude of responding to and recovering from the impact of this disaster exceeded Adams County’s available resources; and,
WHEREAS, the Adams County Office of Emergency Management received written authorization that Board Chair Lynn Baca authorized the signing of a Disaster Declaration on May 19, 2025; and,
WHEREAS, the May 19, 2025 Disaster Declaration declared a disaster beginning on May 19, 2025 and indicated that it would not exceed seven days without the consent of the Board of County Commissioners: and,
WHEREAS, this resolution is before the Board of County Commissioners at the next scheduled public hearing of the Board following the May 19, 2025 Disaster Declaration.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of County Commissioners hereby ratifies the May 19, 2025 Disaster Declaration, which was created by Emergency Manager Ron Sigman with authorization from Chair Lynn Baca, and which is attached hereto.
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR
ADAMS COUNTY, STATE OF COLORADO
RESOLUTION RATIFYING MARCH 13, 2019 DISASTER DECLARATION
Resolution 2019-158
WHEREAS, Colorado law provides for the statewide and local prevention of, preparation for, response to, and recovery from disasters; and,
WHEREAS, pursuant to § 24-33.5-703(3), C.R.S., as amended, “disaster” is defined to mean “the occurrence or imminent threat of widespread or severe damage, injury, or loss of life or property resulting from any natural cause or cause of human origin, including but not limited to fire, flood, earthquake, wind, storm, wave action, hazardous substance incident, oil spill or other water contamination requiring emergency action to avert danger or damage, volcanic activity, epidemic, air pollution, blight, drought, infestation, explosion, civil disturbance, or hostile
military or paramilitary action, or a condition of riot, insurrection, or invasion existing in the state or in any county, city, town, or district in the state;” and,
WHEREAS, pursuant to § 24-33.5-709, C.R.S., a local disaster may be declared “only by the principal executive officer of a political subdivision;” and,
WHEREAS, pursuant to §§ 30-10-307 and 308, C.R.S., as amended, the chairman of the Board of County Commissioners is authorized to sign all county orders and is statutorily authorized to act as the principal executive officer; and,
WHEREAS, pursuant to § 24-33.5-709(1), C.R.S., as amended, the declaration of a local disaster “shall not be continued or renewed for a period in excess of seven days except by or with the consent of the governing board of the political subdivision;” and,
WHEREAS, pursuant to § 24-33.5-709(1), C.R.S., as amended, any order declaring, continuing, or terminating a local disaster “shall be given prompt and general publicity and shall be filed promptly with the county clerk and recorder;” and,
WHEREAS, pursuant to § 24-33.5-709(2), C.R.S., as amended, the effect of declaring a local disaster “is to activate the response and recovery aspects of any and all applicable local and interjurisdictional disaster emergency plans and to authorize the furnishing of aid and assistance under such plans”; and,
WHEREAS, by declaring a local disaster, the Adams County Disaster Policies adopted by the BOCC in 2010 are in effect; and,
WHEREAS, because of a significant winter storm that resulted in high winds and large accumulations of snow, which occurred or began to occur on March 13, 2019, Adams County and/or jurisdictions within its boundaries, is suffering or has suffered a disaster as defined under § 24-33.5-703(3), C.R.S., as amended; and,
WHEREAS, the cost and magnitude of responding to and recovering from the impact of this disaster exceeded Adams County’s available resources; and,
WHEREAS, the Adams County Office of Emergency Management received verbal and email authorization that Board Chair Steve O’Dorisio authorized the signing of a Disaster Declaration on March 13, 2019; and,
WHEREAS, the March 13, 2019 Disaster Declaration declared a disaster beginning on March 13, 2019 and indicated that it would not exceed seven days without the consent of the Board of County Commissioners; and,
WHEREAS, this resolution is before the Board of County Commissioners at the next scheduled public hearing of the Board following the March 13, 2019 Disaster Declaration.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of County Commissioners hereby ratifies the March 13, 2019 Disaster Declaration, which was created by Emergency Manager Ron Sigman with authorization from Chair Steve O’Dorisio, and which is attached hereto.