South King Fire & Rescue Chief (and former Des Moines Councilmember) Vic Pennington on Tuesday, March 10, 2020 issued a ‘Proclamation of Emergency’ due to the recent coronavirus outbreak.
Pennington will now be authorized to take emergency actions and provide emergency services to protect the health and safety of persons and property pursuant to South King Fire A Rescue Resolution 572 and Chapter 3852 RCW.
“Extraordinary measures are required to protect the public health, safety and welfare of the residents of South King Fre & Rescue,” the proclamation reads.
Here’s text of the full proclamation:
KING COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT
SOUTH KING FIRE &RESCUE (SKFR) – FIRE CHIEF 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-12) 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, on March 5. 2020, City Manager of the City of Des Moines signed a Proclamation 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 end 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; and
WHEREAS, the Emergency Manager for South King Fire & rescue has reported to the Fire Chief that the number of confirmed cases of COVID-10 in King County is increasing daily, and
WHEREAS, South King Fire & Rescue believes that the increased number of confirmed cases of COVID-10 constitute a civil emergenccy and necessitates the utilization of emergency powers granted to the South King Fire & Rescue Fire Chief, pursuant to South King Fire & Rescue Resolution 572 and RCW 38.52.70(2); and
WHEREAS, in the judgment of the undersigned, extraordinary measures are required to protect the public health, safety and welfare of the residents of South King Fre & Rescue.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT PROCLAIMED BY the Fire Chief of South King Fire & Rescue that an emergency exists in South King Fire & Rescue; therefore, South King Fire & Rescue’s Fire Chief is authorized to lake emergency actions and provide emergency services to protect the health and safety of persons and property pursuant to South King Fire A Rescue Resolution 572 and Chapter 3852 RCW. Pursuant to Resolution 572, the Chief is authorized to enter into contracts and to incur obligations necessary to combat the above disaster, in light of the exigencies of an extreme emergency situation, without regard to time-consuming procedures and formalities prescribed by law (excepting mandatory constitutional requirements), including, but not limited to, budget law limitations, requirements of competibve bidding and publication of notices, provisions pertaining to the performance of public work, entering into contracts, the incurring of obligations, the employment of temporary workers, the rental of equipment, the purchase of supplies and materials, the levying of taxes, and the appropriation and expenditures of public funds.
Dated this 10th day of March 2020.
SOUTH KING FIRE & RESCUE
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Victor L, Pennington II, Fire Chief
Eric T. Quinn, Attorney at Law
