On Thursday, March 5, 2020, the City of Des Moines issued a ‘Proclamation of Emergency’ related to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

The city joins both the state and King County in issuing emergency proclamations related to this health scare. Officials announced Thursday that there were 20 additional confirmed cases of COVID-19 in King County, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 51, including 10 deaths.

The city says it “believes that the increased number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 constitute a civil emergency as defined by the Des Moines Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan and necessitates the utilization of emergency powers granted pursuant to chapter 2.36 DMMC, RCW 36.40.180, and RCW 38.52.070(2).”

And that “extraordinary measures are required to protect the public health, safety and welfare of Des Moines’ residents and may go beyond the capability of local resources.”

The Des Moines Director of Emergency Management and City departments are now authorized to take emergency actions and provide emergency services to protect the health and safety of persons and property pursuant to the City of Des Moines Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan.

Here’s text of the full proclamation:

CITY OF DES MOINES – PROCLAMATION OF EMERGENCY

WHEREAS, on January 31, 2020, the United States Department of Public Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar declared a public emergency for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) beginning on January 27, 2020; and

WHEREAS, on February 29, 2020, Governor Jay Inslee signed a Proclamation declaring a State of Emergency exists in all counties in the State of Washington due to the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state and directed that the plans and procedures of the Washington State Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan be implemented; and

WHEREAS, on March 1, 2020, King County Executive Dow Constantine signed a Proclamation of Emergency due to the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in King County thus enabling King County government to take extraordinary measures; and

WHEREAS, the Emergency Manager for the City of Des Moines has reported to the City Manager that the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in King County is increasing daily; and

WHEREAS, the City of Des Moines believes that the increased number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 constitute a civil emergency as defined by the Des Moines Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan and necessitates the utilization of emergency powers granted pursuant to chapter 2.36 DMMC, RCW 36.40.180, and RCW 38.52.070(2); and

WHEREAS, in the judgment of the undersigned, extraordinary measures are required to protect the public health, safety and welfare of Des Moines’ residents and may go beyond the capability of local resources; now therefore

BE IT PROCLAIMED BY THE City Manager of the City of Des Moines that an emergency exists in the City of Des Moines; therefore, the Des Moines Director of Emergency Management and City departments are authorized to take emergency actions and to provide emergency services to protect the health and safety of persons and property pursuant to the City of Des Moines Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (“Plan”), chapter 38.52 RCW, and chapter 2.36 DMMC. As directed pursuant to the Plan, each City department is authorized to exercise the powers vested under this proclamation to enter into contracts and to incur obligations necessary to combat such victims of such disaster in the light of the exigencies of an extreme emergency situation without regard to time-consuming procedures and formalities prescribed by law (excepting mandatory constitutional requirements.)

DATED this 5th day of March, 2020.

CITY OF DES MOINES