1. (a) In this title the following words have the meanings indicated.
2. (b) “Department” means the Maryland Department of Emergency Management.
3. (c) “Emergency” means the imminent threat or occurrence of severe or widespread loss of life, injury, or other health impacts, property damage or destruction, social or economic disruption, or environmental degradation from natural, technological, or human-made causes.

4. (d)

   1. (1) “Emergency management” means the planning, implementing, and conducting of risk reduction and consequence management activities across the mission areas of prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery to enhance preparedness, save lives, preserve public health and safety, protect public and private property, and minimize or repair injury and damage that results or may result from emergencies.
   2. (2) “Emergency management” does not include the preparation for and carrying out of functions in an emergency for which the uniformed services are primarily responsible.
5. (e) “Emergency manager” means an individual whose primary duty of employment is to execute the mission of emergency management.
6. (f) “Local organization for emergency management” means an organization established by a political subdivision or other local authority under § 14-109 of this subtitle.
7. (g) “Political subdivision” means a county or municipal corporation of the State.
8. (h) “Secretary” means the Secretary of Emergency Management.

9. (i) “Senior elected official” means:

   1. (1) the mayor;
   2. (2) the county executive;
   3. (3) for a county that does not have a county executive, the president of the board of county commissioners or county council or other chief executive officer of the county; or
   4. (4) for a municipal corporation that does not have a mayor, the burgess, chairperson, or president of the municipal governing body or other chief executive officer of the municipal corporation.

Added by Acts 2003, c. 5, § 2, eff. Oct. 1, 2003. Amended by Acts 2006, c. 369, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2006; Acts 2006, c. 505, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2006; Acts 2020, c. 288, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2020; Acts 2021, c. 287, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2021; Acts 2021, c. 288, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2021; Acts 2022, c. 482, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2022; Acts 2023, c. 563, § 1, eff. July 1, 2023; Acts 2025, c. 261, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2025; Acts 2025, c. 262, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2025.