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Oregon Revised Statutes

Or. Rev. Stat. § 401.025 (2026)

Definitions for ORS chapter 401

✓ current as of May 2026
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      401.025 Definitions for ORS chapter 401. As used in this chapter:

      (1) “Emergency” means a human created or natural event or circumstance that causes or threatens widespread loss of life, injury to person or property, human suffering or financial loss, including but not limited to:

      (a) Fire, wildfire, explosion, flood, severe weather, landslides or mud slides, drought, earthquake, volcanic activity, tsunamis or other oceanic phenomena, spills or releases of oil or hazardous material as defined in ORS 466.605, contamination, utility or transportation emergencies, disease, blight, infestation, civil disturbance, riot, sabotage, acts of terrorism and war; and

      (b) A rapid influx of individuals from outside this state, a rapid migration of individuals from one part of this state to another or a rapid displacement of individuals if the influx, migration or displacement results from the type of event or circumstance described in paragraph (a) of this subsection.

      (2) “Emergency service agency” means an organization within a local government that performs essential services for the public’s benefit before, during or after an emergency, such as law enforcement, fire control, health, medical and sanitation services, public works and engineering, public information and communications.

      (3) “Emergency services” means activities engaged in by state and local government agencies to prepare for an emergency and to prevent, minimize, respond to or recover from an emergency, including but not limited to coordination, preparedness planning, training, interagency liaison, fire fighting, oil or hazardous material spill or release cleanup as defined in ORS 466.605, law enforcement, medical, health and sanitation services, engineering and public works, search and rescue activities, warning and public information, damage assessment, administration and fiscal management, and those measures defined as “civil defense” in 50 U.S.C. app. 2252.

      (4) “Local government” has the meaning given that term in ORS 174.116.

      (5) “Major disaster” means any event defined as a “major disaster” under 42 U.S.C. 5122(2). [1983 c.586 §2; 1985 c.733 §21; 1987 c.373 §84; 1989 c.361 §8; 1991 c.418 §1; 1991 c.956 §10; 1993 c.187 §1; 1999 c.935 §29; 2005 c.825 §9; 2007 c.97 §10; 2007 c.223 §5; 2007 c.740 §20; 2009 c.718 §17; 2021 c.592 §16]

 

      401.030 [Amended by 1967 c.595 §1; 1969 c.80 §8; 1975 c.379 §9; 1975 c.624 §1; repealed by 1983 c.586 §49]

 

RESPONSIBILITY FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 4 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1990–2024 · leading case: Elkhorn Baptist Church v. Brown, 466 P.3d 30 (Or. 2020).
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Elkhorn Baptist Church v. Brown, 466 P.3d 30 (Or. 2020). · cites it 6× “442 by making a declaration under chapter 433, which gives rise to certain specified powers, the Governor may also respond to such an emergency by making a declaration under chapter 401, which gives rise to greater powers, if the public health emergency also meets the definition…”
Hawkins v. City of La Grande, 795 P.2d 556 (Or. Ct. App. 1990). · cites it 3× “” ORS 401.025(10) provides: “ ‘Emergency services’ includes those activities provided by state and local government agencies with emergency operational responsibilities to prepare for and carry out any activity to prevent, minimize, respond to or recover from an emergency.”
Along Came Trudy LLC v. OLCC (Or. Ct. App. 2024). · cites it 2× “” ORS 401.025(1). A state of emergency declared by the Governor continues until it is terminated either by the Governor or the Legislative Assembly.”
Ass'n of Oregon Corr. Employees v. State of Oregon (D. Or. 2022). “See ORS 401.025 (defining “emergency”); ORS 401.”
— Or. Rev. Stat. § 401.025(1) — 2 cases
Elkhorn Baptist Church v. Brown, 466 P.3d 30 (Or. 2020). “442 by making a declaration under chapter 433, which gives rise to certain specified powers, the Governor may also respond to such an emergency by making a declaration under chapter 401, which gives rise to greater powers, if the public health emergency also meets the definition…”
Along Came Trudy LLC v. OLCC (Or. Ct. App. 2024). “” ORS 401.025(1). A state of emergency declared by the Governor continues until it is terminated either by the Governor or the Legislative Assembly.”
— Or. Rev. Stat. § 401.025(10) — 1 case
Hawkins v. City of La Grande, 795 P.2d 556 (Or. Ct. App. 1990). “” ORS 401.025(10) provides: “ ‘Emergency services’ includes those activities provided by state and local government agencies with emergency operational responsibilities to prepare for and carry out any activity to prevent, minimize, respond to or recover from an emergency.”
— Or. Rev. Stat. § 401.025(4) — 1 case
Hawkins v. City of La Grande, 795 P.2d 556 (Or. Ct. App. 1990). “” ORS 401.025(10) provides: “ ‘Emergency services’ includes those activities provided by state and local government agencies with emergency operational responsibilities to prepare for and carry out any activity to prevent, minimize, respond to or recover from an emergency.”
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