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<br />(2) What can the General Assembly do to improve the state's <br />performance during flood disasters,through the adoption of changes in <br />administrative procedures and through stat.utory or const.itutional <br />enactments? <br /> <br />(3) What can the state do to lessen the impact of future <br />diilasters? <br /> <br />On the basis of information provided by persons meeting with the 'com- <br />mittl?e, including numerous state, local, and federal officials, as <br />well as material prepared by the staff, the members of the committee <br />have reached the following conclusions and submit the fClllowing <br />rel:ommendations: <br /> <br />Wi th respect to performanc1:'s during the June floods, the mem- <br />bers believe that state and local officials and employees merit th~ <br />hiqhl?st of praise for their actions during the emergency brought on by <br />thl? June floods. Similar commendatil:lns are also due federal officials <br />and ;3gencies for their efforts durinl:1 and following the floods. The <br />ou'tstanding performances of organizations such as the American Red <br />Cr()s~, and the Salvation Army also deserve special mentiCln, as do those <br />of the savings and loan associations and those banks and other lending <br />inst:l tutions taking immediate measurE~S to assist their customers who <br />sust,ained damages from the rampaging waters of last Junl~. <br /> <br />However, the irrational action of man was Bllso demonstrated <br />du:dng the floods by the arrival of the curious d.uring times when <br />pr,ev,entative or restorative measures were bei.ng taken. These people, <br />eith,er through ignorance or unconcern for the welfare' of others, per- <br />haps always will be present in the event of a disaste,r no matter how <br />larg,e or small. <br /> <br />In general, the committee believes that because operations <br />during and following the June flood disasters were cCinducted so well, <br />only the most necessary of changes should be made. On the whole, the <br />General Assembly has already provided most of the machinery which is <br />needed by legislation to meet disasters in this state through such <br />measures as the Disaster Relief Act of 1959 and the Colorado Civil <br />Defense Act of 1950. <br /> <br />Specifically, the committel? supports the establishment of a <br />primary emergency operations center at Camp George WE~st near Golden, <br />as is being carried out under the present legislation and appropriations, <br />with one-half of the construction costs being sustained by the federal <br />government. The committee does not believe, however" that a specific <br />office of disaster coordination need. be established by law, nor is <br />any legislation needed to improve prl3sent programs for operations in <br />the event of future disasters other than an amendment to 3-17-3 (I), <br />Colorado Revised Statutes 1963, adding "civil disturbance" to the, <br />definition of "major disaster" in thle Disaster RE!lief Act of 1959, as <br />proposed in Bill A accompanying this report. <br /> <br />So far as recovery operati <Dns are concE~rned, the committee <br />recommends the adoption of legislati<Dn to authorize public agenci.es to <br />utilize the temporary use of private,ly-owned equipment during periods <br /> <br />xii <br />