state of emergency explained please?

i'm trying to understand the bureaucracy.

what does it mean when the prez AND the governor call a state of emergency? does the state still have to ASK for assistance? what resources are available without asking?

can someone please explain how this works?

tia

ellen fl

Here you go: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_of_Emergency

"A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend certain normal functions of government, may work to alert citizens to alter their normal behaviors, or may order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used as a rationale for suspending civil liberties. Such declarations usually come during a time of natural disaster, during periods of civil unrest, or following a declaration of war (therefore, in democratic countries many call this martial law, most with non critical intent)."

Specifically:
A federal emergency declaration allows the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to exercise its power to deal with emergency situations; federal assistance also become available to areas that are declared to be in a state of emergency. For FEMA, emergency declarations are different from the more common disaster declarations done for hurricanes and floods.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_of_Emergency#The_United_States

Read more. It is "martial law lite".

Why the 'bad looters' meme?

"The U.S. Constitution says, "The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_of_Emergency#The_United_States

Without the rebellion incarnated in the fictional bad looters a full transition to marital law would be dubious on constitutional grounds.

when a state of emergency is called, local and state bureaucracy is overridden. in other words, the state/county/municipality does not have to ASK for help. am i reading that right and, if so, how can the different aid entities say they had to wait to be asked?

just wondering.

tia (again)

ellen fl