Alhambra Municipal Code Ch. 2.20 Emergency Organization and Functions

As used in this chapter, EMERGENCY shall mean the actual or threatened existence of conditions of disaster or of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property within this city caused by such conditions as air pollution, fire, flood, storm, epidemic, riot, or earthquake, or other conditions, including conditions resulting from war or imminent threat of war (but other than conditions resulting from a labor controversy) which conditions are or are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment and facilities of this city, requiring the combined forces of other political subdivisions to combat.

('86 Code, § 2.20.010) (Ord. 3976, passed - - )

The declared purposes of this chapter are to provide for the preparation and carrying out of the city's emergency services and civil disaster plan for the protection of persons and property within the city in the event of an emergency; the direction of the emergency organization and the coordination of the emergency functions of the city with all other public agencies, corporations, organizations and affected private persons.

('86 Code, § 2.20.020) (Ord. 3976, passed - - )

The Disaster Council is hereby created and shall consist of the following:

(A) The Mayor, who shall be chairman.

(B) City Manager, who shall be vice-chairman.

(C) Fire Chief.

(D) Chief of Police.

(E) Assistant City Manager, Director of Public Works.

(F) Deputy City Manager, Director of Parks and Recreation.

(G) Director of Community Development.

(H) Police Captain.

(I) Deputy Fire Chief.

(J) Deputy Director of Public Works.

(‘86 Code, § 2.20.030) (Ord. 3976, passed - - ; Ord. 4735, passed 5-14-18)

The Disaster Council is a standing committee whose duty shall be to review and recommend for adoption by the City Council, emergency and mutual aid plans and agreements and such ordinances and resolutions and rules and regulations as are necessary to implement such plans and agreements and to advise the City Council in connection therewith.

('86 Code, § 2.20.040) (Ord. 3976, passed - - )

The Disaster Council shall meet upon call of the chairman or in his absence from the city or inability to call such a meeting, upon the call of the vice-chairman. In the event of the absence or inability to act of both the chairman and the vice-chairman, then the Disaster Council shall meet upon the call of the municipal officer of the city acting as acting Director of Emergency Services/EOC Director.

('86 Code, § 2.20.050) (Ord. 3976, passed - - )

There is hereby created the office of Director of Emergency Services/EOC Director.

(A) The Director of Emergency Services/EOC Director is responsible to the City Council and to the Disaster Council.

(B) The City Manager shall be the Director of Emergency Services/EOC Director.

(C) A successor to the position of Director of Emergency Services/EOC Director shall be appointed by the City Council. Should the Director be unable to serve, individuals who hold permanent appointments to the following positions in government shall automatically serve as acting director, in the order shown, and shall serve until a successor has been appointed by the Council and seated. An individual serving as acting director shall have the authority and powers of the Director.

Fire Chief first alternate

Chief of Police second alternate

Assistant City Manager/Director of Public Works third alternate

Deputy City Manager/Director of Parks and Recreation fourth alternate

Director of Community Development fifth alternate

Police Captain sixth alternate

Deputy Fire Chief seventh alternate

Deputy Director of Public Works Eighth alternate

(D) The City Manager shall designate an Assistant Director of Emergency Services/EOC Director. The Assistant Director shall perform such other duties and responsibilities as may be ordered by the Director.

(‘86 Code, § 2.20.060) (Ord. 3976, passed - - ; Am. Ord. 4735, passed 5-14-18)

The Director of Emergency Services/EOC Director is hereby empowered:

(A) To request the City Council to proclaim the existence of a “local emergency” if the City Council is in session, or to issue such proclamation if the City Council is not in session. Whenever a local emer-gency is proclaimed by the Director, the City Council shall take action to ratify the proclamation within seven days thereafter, or the proclamation shall have no further force or effect.

(B) To request the Governor of the state to proclaim a “state of emergency” when in the opinion of the Director the locally available resources of the city region are inadequate to cope with the emergency.

(C) To control and direct the effort of the emergency organization of the city for the accomplishment of the purpose of this chapter.

(D) To direct cooperation between and coordination of services and staff of the emergency organization of the city, and resolve questions of authority and responsibility that may arise between them.

(E) To represent the city in all dealings with public or private agencies pertaining to emergencies as defined herein.

(F) To exercise any and all other powers given to him or her and to take whatever other actions may be required of him or her by the city's Multi-Hazard Functional Plan.

('86 Code, § 2.20.070) (Ord. 3976, passed - - )

In the event of the proclamation of a local emergency as herein provided, the proclamation of a “state of emergency” by the Governor or the Director of the State Office of Emergency Services, or the existence of a “state of war emergency,” the Director of Emergency Services/EOC Director is hereby empowered:

(A) To make and issue rules and regulations on matters reasonably related to the protection of life and property as affected by such emergency, provided, however, that such rules and regulations must be confirmed at the earliest practicable time by the City Council.

(B) To obtain vital supplies, equipment and such other properties found lacking and needed for the protection of life and property of the people, and bind the city for the fair value thereof, and if required immediately, to commandeer the same for public use.

(C) To require emergency services of any city officer or employee and, in the event of the proclamation of a “state of emergency” in the county in which this city is located or the existence of a “state of war emergency,” to command the aid of as many citizens of the community as he or she thinks necessary in the execution of his or her duties and such persons shall be entitled to all privileges, benefits and immunities as are provided by the state law for registered disaster service workers.

(D) To requisition necessary personnel or material of any city department or agency.

(E) To execute all of his or her ordinary powers as City Manager, all of the special powers conferred upon him or her by this chapter or by resolution or emergency plan adopted pursuant thereto by the City Council, all powers conferred upon him or her by any statute by any agreement approved by the City Council, or by any other lawful authority.

(F) To exercise any and all other powers given to him or her and to take whatever other actions may be required of him or her by the city's Multi-Hazard Functional Plan.

('86 Code, § 2.20.080) (Ord 3976, passed - - )

The Assistant Director of Emergency Services/ EOC Director shall have those powers and duties as may be assigned by the Director and/or by the city's Multi-Hazard Functional Plan.

('86 Code, § 2.20.090) (Ord. 3976, passed - - )

(A) The city shall operate under the Standard Emergency Management System (SEMS) as per Cal. Gov't Code § 8607(a).

(B) All officers and employees of the city, together with those volunteer forces enrolled to aid them during an emergency, and all groups, organizations and persons who may by agreement or operation of law, including persons pressed into service under the provisions of § 2.20.080(C) of this code, shall be charged with duties incident to the protection of life and property in the city during such disaster and shall constitute the emergency organization of the city.

('86 Code, § 2.20.100) (Ord. 3976, passed - - )

The Disaster Council shall be responsible for the continued development of the “City of Alhambra Multi-Hazard Functional Plan,” which plan shall provide for the effective mobilization of all of the resources of this city, both public and private, to meet any condition constituting a local emergency, state of emergency, or state of war emergency; and shall provide for the organization, powers and duties, services, and staff of the emergency organization. Any changes in the plan shall take effect upon adoption by resolution of the City Council.

('86 Code, § 2.20.110) (Ord. 3976, passed - - )

Any expenditures made in connection with emergency activities, including mutual aid activities, shall be deemed conclusively to be for the direct protection and benefit of the inhabitants and property of the city.

('86 Code, § 2.20.120) (Ord. 3976, passed - - )

It shall be a misdemeanor and a violation of this chapter for any person during an emergency:

(A) Wilfully to obstruct hinder or delay any member of the emergency organization in the enforcement of any lawful rule or regulation issued pursuant to this chapter or in the performance of any duty imposed upon him by virtue of this chapter.

(B) To do any act forbidden by any lawful rules or regulations issued pursuant to this chapter, if such act is of such a nature as to give or be likely to give assistance to the enemy, or to imperil the lives or property of inhabitants of the city or to prevent hinder or delay the defense or protection thereof.

(C) To wear, carry or display, without authority, any means of identification specified by the state office of emergency services and/or city.

('86 Code, § 2.20.130) (Ord. 3976, passed - - ) Penalty, see § 1.12.010