Big Bear Lake Municipal Code Ch. 2.24 Emergency Services Organization

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

(Ord. 82-72 § 1(part), 1982)

As used in this chapter, "emergency" means the actual or threatened existence of conditions of disaster or of extreme peril to the safety of life and property within the 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.

(Ord. 82-72 § 1(part), 1982)

The city disaster council is created and shall consist of the following:

A. The mayor of the city, who shall be chairman of the disaster council;

B. The mayor pro tem of the city, who shall be the vice-chairman of the disaster council;

C. Such chiefs of emergency services as are provided for in a current emergency plan of this city, adopted pursuant to this chapter.

(Ord. 93-232 § 7, 1993: Ord. 82-72 § 1(part), 1982)

It shall be the duty of the city disaster council, and it is hereby empowered, to develop 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. 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 call of the vice chairman.

(Ord. 82-72 § 1(part), 1982)

A. There is created the office of director of emergency services. The city manager shall be the director of emergency services.

B. There is created the office of assistant director of emergency services, who shall be the mayor.

C. There is created the office of deputy director of emergency services, who shall be appointed by the director.

(Ord. 93-232 § 8, 1993: Ord. 82-72 § 1(part), 1982)

A. The director, and in the absence of the director, the assistant director, is empowered to:

1. Request the city council to proclaim the existence or threatened 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 emergency 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;

2. Recommend that the city manager or city council request the Governor to proclaim a "state of emergency" when, in the opinion of the director, the locally available resources are inadequate to cope with the emergency;

3. Control and direct the effort of the emergency organization of this city for the accomplishment of the purposes of this chapter;

4. Direct cooperation between and coordination of services and staff of the emergency organization of this city; and resolve questions of authority and responsibility that may arise between them;

5. Represent this city in all dealings with public or private agencies on matters pertaining to emergencies as defined herein;

6. In the event of the proclamation of a "local emergency" as herein provided, the proclamation of the "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 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, 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, and to 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 city or the existence of a "state of war emergency," to command the aid of as many citizens of this city as he deems necessary in the execution of his duties; such persons shall be entitled to all privileges, benefits and immunities as are provided by state law for registered disaster service workers;

d. To requisition necessary personnel or material of any city department or agency; and

e. To execute all of his ordinary power as director of emergency services, all of the special powers conferred upon him by this chapter or by resolution or emergency plan pursuant hereto adopted by the city council, all powers conferred upon him by any statute, by any agreement approved by the city council, and by any other lawful authority.

B. The director of emergency services shall designate the order of succession to that office, to take effect in the event the director, or assistant director, is unavailable to attend meetings and otherwise perform his duties during an emergency. Such orders of succession shall be approved by the city council.

C. The deputy director of emergency services shall, under the supervision of the director and with the assistance of emergency service chiefs, develop emergency plans and manage the emergency programs of this city; and shall have such other powers and duties as may be assigned by the director.

The deputy director of emergency services shall, prior to an emergency, be responsible for:

1. Development and coordination of the emergency service planning for the city, which will provide for the utilization of all governmental entities, their resources and equipment; all commercial and industrial resources; all special groups, bodies and organizations as may be necessary for the support of emergency service operations;

2. Development and coordination of such training programs and exercises as may be necessary for operational requirements;

3. Development and coordination of programs designed to inform the public of measures for self-protection and emergency service activities;

4. Liaison and coordination with federal, state, county and other city emergency service agencies, and with the appropriate elements of the armed forces;

5. Recommendations to the city disaster council for consideration of all matters within the purview of the disaster council's responsibilities;

6. Recommendations to the city council for consideration of matters of policy decision insofar as they relate to emergency services;

7. Assigning duties and responsibilities to personnel of the office of emergency services.

(Ord. 93-232 § 9, 1993; Ord. 82-72 § 1 (part), 1982)

A. Emergency Organization. All offices and employees of this 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 impressed into service under the provisions of subsection A6c of Section 2.24.060, be charged with duties incident to the protection of life and property in this city during such emergency, shall constitute the emergency organization of the city.

B. Disaster Service Workers. All public and private volunteer agencies and members, i.e., disaster services, emergency medical services, search and rescue, and communication organizations, will register with the city emergency services as disaster service workers.

(Ord. 82-72 § 1 (part), 1982)

The city disaster council shall be responsible for the development of the city emergency 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. Such plan shall take effect upon adoption by resolution of the city council.

(Ord. 82-72 § 1(part), 1982)

It is a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not to exceed five hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not to exceed six months, or both, for any person, during a state of war emergency, state of emergency or local emergency, or drill or exercise in preparation for such emergencies, to:

A. Willfully 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 duties, to include but not be limited to willful, deliberate interference with radio communications during practice drills or emergency between persons designated as agents of the city, paid or volunteer;

B. Do any act forbidden by any lawful rule or regulation 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 this city, or to prevent, hinder or delay the defense or protection thereof;

C. Wear, carry or display, without authority, any means of identification specified by the emergency agency of the state or city.

(Ord. 82-72 § 1(part), 1982)