1. The Commissioner of Community Affairs shall establish a program for the emergency deployment of State and local construction code officials and inspectors to assist local construction code officials and inspectors in the evaluation of buildings and structures affected by a natural or man-made disaster or emergency, and to provide such other assistance in code enforcement and related activities as may be required in order to protect public health and safety. The code officials and inspectors so deployed shall, when necessary, assist in assessing possible damage to the structural design and life-safety systems of buildings, and in facilitating rapid decision making regarding the closure or reoccupancy of buildings, in the event of a natural or man-made disaster or emergency for which a state of emergency has been declared by the President of the United States or the Governor, or for which a state of emergency has been declared by a municipal emergency management coordinator. The commissioner may provide for participation in the program by licensed professional engineers, registered architects and other licensed professionals. For the purposes of this section, “local construction code officials and inspectors” means code officials and inspectors employed by a municipality or county.

L.2007, c.2, s.1.