In times of crisis, governments need to be able to rapidly mobilize their resources and respond to the needs of citizens. This is particularly true for large natural disasters or public order situations such as a pandemic. If the government can’t quickly create and distribute medical supplies, enforce curfews, or deploy military personnel, lives may be lost. The state of emergency grants the government a wide range of powers that can be used in these circumstances. However, there are normally safeguards in place to prevent abuse of these powers, such as conditions required to declare a state of emergency and limitations on how long it can be maintained (though this can also be circumvented).
A State of Emergency allows the Governor to activate state-level preparedness plans. It also puts a number of Federal programs into effect and streamlines many administrative procedures that would normally slow the flow of information and resources. In addition, the Governor can ask NJOEM to call on private agencies such as the Red Cross and The Salvation Army and volunteer organizations like RACES and the Civil Air Patrol to fulfill critical missions.
In a state of emergency, local authorities can ask the President to declare a State of Emergency in their area. But, the request must first go through a local government and FEMA Region VI before it makes it to the President’s desk. Generally, there is a fairly high bar for the President to approve such a request.