Mayor Freddie O'Connell Executive Order Number 056

WHEREAS, on January 24 and 25, 2026, a significant winter storm struck Nashville and surrounding areas, causing widespread property damage and power outages in Davidson County; and

WHEREAS, safeguarding the lives of its citizens is a fundamental responsibility of the Metropolitan Government; and

WHEREAS, Tenn. Code Ann.§ 38-9-102, Tenn. Code Ann.§ 58-8-104, and Metropolitan Code of Law§ 2.08.060 authorize the Mayor of the Metropolitan Government to proclaim in writing when there exists a state of emergency within the area of Nashville and Davidson County; and

WHEREAS, "emergency" means any occurrence or threat of an occurrence, whether natural or man-made, that results in or may result in substantial injury or harm to the population or substantial damage to or loss of property and which results in a declaration of a state of emergency by a municipal mayor, a county mayor or executive, the governor, or the president; and

Whereas, the winter storm that struck Nashville and Davidson County on January 24 and 25, 2026, is an emergency;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Freddie O'Connell, Mayor of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, by virtue of the power and authority vested in me, do hereby proclaim, direct, and order the following:

A State of Emergency is proclaimed within the area of Nashville and Davidson County.

The duration of this state of emergency will continue until rescinded but shall be limited to seven (7) days from this date unless it is necessary to extend it by Executive Order.

As authorized by Tenn. Code Ann.§ 58-2-110(3)(A), the Metropolitan Government will:

As necessary, appropriate and expend funds; make contracts; obtain and distribute equipment, materials, and supplies for emergency management purposes; provide for the health and safety of persons and property, including emergency assistance to the victims of any emergency; and direct and coordinate the development of emergency management plans and programs in accordance with the policies and plans set by the federal and state emergency management agencies;

As necessary, appoint, employ, remove, or provide, with or without compensation, coordinators, rescue teams, fire and police personnel, and other emergency management workers;

In addition to the primary emergency operating center, establish, as necessary, one or more secondary emergency operating centers to provide continuity of government and direction and control of emergency operations;

As necessary, assign and make available for duty the offices and agencies of the Metropolitan Government, including the employees, property, or equipment relating to health, medical and related services, police, transportation, and similar items or services for emergency operation purposes, as the primary emergency management forces of the Metropolitan Government for employment within or outside the area of the Metropolitan Government; and

Request state assistance or, as needed, invoke emergency-related mutual-aid assistance in the event of an emergency affecting another political subdivision.

The Metropolitan Government, to the extent necessary to protect the health of citizens related to this emergency, invokes its authority under state law, Tenn. Code Ann. § 58-2-110(3), to waive the procedures and formalities otherwise required of the political subdivision by law pertaining to:

Performance of public services and taking whatever prudent action is necessary to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of the community;

Entering into contracts; Incurring of obligations;

Employment of temporary workers; Utilization of volunteer workers; Rental of equipment;

Acquisition and distribution, with or without compensation, of supplies, materials, and facilities;

Appropriation and expenditure of public funds; and

Consider certain commercial vehicles engaged in the distribution of electric power, the supply of fuel, or telecommunications services to residences and businesses to be participating in an emergency relief effort for the purpose of the federal hours-of-service regulations promulgated by the federal motor carrier safety administration.

Pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. § 58-8-105, the director or the director's designee of the following departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the Metropolitan Government is authorized to request assistance as the "requesting party" as defined in Tenn. Code Ann. § 58-8-102(13):

Metropolitan Public Health Department;