URGENT: Governor Brewer Declares State of Emergency for All of Arizona

**FILE** Gov. Jan Brewer a (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

PHOENIX (NAZ Today)– Earlier this evening, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer issued a State of Emergency which is in effect for the entire state of Arizona.

As part of the Declaration, the state Emergency Operations Center was activated at 5 pm this evening.  This center, manned by several state agencies and headed by the Arizona Department of Emergency Management, is located within the Papago Park Military Reservation in Phoenix.  The center will coordinate with several state agencies as well as DPS/ADOT command posts in Flagstaff and Star Valley (outside of Payson).

Additionally, the State of Emergency allows for an initial $200,000 to be released from the Governor’s Emergency Fund (part of the State General Fund) that can be used to assist in paying for responses and recovery expenses from the weather events.  Approximately $2.5 million remains in the fund, which may be tapped into should more money be needed by a vote from the state’s emergency council, made up of the Governor and 11 other elected and designated voting members.

The details of the declaration include the following directives, according to a press release from the Governor’s Office:

• Declares that a State of Emergency exists in Apache, Coconino, Gila, Maricopa, and Navajo counties until further notice; and
• Directs that $200,000 be made available to the Director of the Arizona Department of Emergency Management to be spent on emergency efforts; and
• Directs the state’s Emergency Response and Recovery Plan to be used to direct and control State and other assets being used during the emergency; and
• Allows the Arizona National Guard to be mobilized and used where needed “to assist in the protection of life and property throughout the state.”

The Governor’s office recommends to limit travel, listen to or read the latest forecasts from the National Weather Service, and stay out of flooded roadways.  As little as 6-8 inches off flowing water is enough to stall a vehicle.

Governor Brewer’s declaration comes on the heels of heavy rains and flooding across central Arizona, heavy snowfall and road closures in northern Arizona, and numerous traffic accidents and severe thunderstorms in southern Arizona throughout the day on Thursday, along with several counties and municipalities (including Williams and Flagstaff) declaring their own States of Emergency and the activation of several evacuation shelters statewide.