A state of emergency is a situation in which the normal functioning of politics and life in a given jurisdiction are suspended, often allowing the government to put through policies it wouldn’t be able to do under regular law. A state of emergency can be declared before, during or after a natural disaster, civil unrest, armed conflict, medical pandemic or epidemic and may suspend a wide range of rights.
In the United States, the term is often used to describe a specific response to a major disaster and not as a broad term for a time of war or other national threat. A declaration of a state of emergency allows the Governor to activate several Federal programs to aid in response and recovery efforts. It also requires that the Governor certify that the State and local governments are meeting their cost-sharing requirements. NJOEM may call on volunteers from the American Red Cross, The Salvation Army, and the Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) network to help with critical functions.
The term has also been used in many countries to describe situations of domestic unrest or other political instability, for example in 1975 – 1977 India by Indira Gandhi in reaction to political opposition and in 1971 in Mauritius in response to riots. However, it can be abused in this way by giving the Government unchecked powers, for example to suppress dissent without respecting human rights. This abuse of the concept can be seen in the use of states of emergency by dictatorships and autocracies alike.