§ 5-8-25 - Engineers rendering assistance during disaster emergency – Immunity from civil liability.
SECTION 5-8-25
§ 5-8-25 Engineers rendering assistanceduring disaster emergency – Immunity from civil liability. – (a) An engineer or engineering firm, duly licensed to practice in Rhode Islandunder this chapter, who voluntarily and without compensation providesengineering services at the scene of a disaster emergency shall not be liablefor any personal injury, wrongful death, property damage, or other loss ordamages caused by an act or omission of the engineer or engineering firm inperforming the services.
(b) As used in this section, "disaster emergency" means adisaster emergency declared by executive order or proclamation of the governorpursuant to chapter 15 of title 30.
(c) The immunity provided in subsection (a) of this sectiononly applies to the practice of engineering as defined in this chapterregarding an engineering service that:
(1) Concerns any building, structure or system whetherpublicly or privately owned that is identified pursuant to a disaster emergencyexecutive order or proclamation;
(2) Relates to the structural integrity of the entirebuilding structure or system or any portion of the structure or system, or to anonstructural element of the structure or system, affecting public safety; and
(3) Is rendered during the time in which a state of disasteremergency exists, as provided in chapter 15 of title 30.
(d) The immunity granted by this section does not apply toacts or omissions constituting gross negligence or willful misconduct.