As used in this chapter, the term "local emergency" means the existence of conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property within the territorial limits of a political subdivision of the state or on a campus of an institution within the University System of Georgia caused by natural disasters, riots, civil disturbances, or other situations presenting major law enforcement and other public safety problems, which conditions are or are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of that political subdivision of the state and which require the combined forces of other political subdivisions of the state to combat.