California City Municipal Code Art. 5 Emergency Organization

(a) This article provides for the preparation and carrying out of plans 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 others.

(b) As used in this article, "emergency" means the actual or threatened conditions of disaster or extreme peril to the safety of person and property caused by conditions likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of the City, and requiring the combined forces of other political subdivisions to combat.

( Ord. No. 14-725 , § 1, 10-21-2014)

(a) The California City Disaster Council shall consist of the following:

(1) Mayor, who shall serve as chair;

(2) The Director of Emergency Services, who shall serve as the vice-chair;

(3) The Assistant Director of Emergency Services;

(4)Such

Chiefs of Emergency Services as are provided for in the current Emergency Plan adopted by the City; and

(5) Such representatives of various civic, business, labor, veteran, professional, or other organizations having an official emergency responsibility which has been appointed by the Director of Emergency Services with the advice and consent of the Council.

( Ord. No. 14-725 , § 1, 10-21-2014)

(a) It shall be the duty of the Disaster Council, and it is hereby empowered, to develop and recommend for adoption to the Council, emergency and mutual aid plans and agreement, and such ordinances, resolutions, rules, and regulations as are necessary to implement such plans and agreements.

(b) The Disaster Council is responsible for the development of the City of California City Emergency Plan to provide for the effective mobilization of resources of the City, public and private, to meet local emergencies, a state of emergency, or a state of war emergency. The plan shall also provide for the organization, powers and duties, services, and staff of the emergency organization. The plan shall take effect upon adoption by resolution of the Council.

(c) The Disaster Council shall meet upon the call of the Chair, or upon call of the Vice Chair (in the absence of the Chair).

( Ord. No. 14-725 , § 1, 10-21-2014)

(a) There is hereby created the Office of Director of Emergency Services. The Director of Emergency Services ("Director") shall be the City's Police Chief or the City's Fire Chief, as designated by the City Manager from time to time. The Director shall at all times be subject to the authority and direction of the City Manager.

(b) There is hereby created the office of the Assistant Director of Emergency Services ("Assistant Director"). The Assistant Director shall be the City's Police Chief or the City's Fire Chief, whichever person is not serving as the Director. The goal is for the Police and Fire Chief to operate in a unified command structure as much as is reasonable possible. The Director and Assistant Director shall, with the assistance of emergency services Departments and Kern County, develop emergency plans, manage the emergency Operating Plan (EOP) of the City, and have such other powers and duties as are assigned by the City Manager.

(c) The Director is hereby empowered to:

(1) Request the Council to proclaim an existing or threatened "local emergency" if the Council is in session, or to issue such proclamation if the Council is not in session. At all times the Director shall work in conjunction with, and under the authority of, the City Manager. If a local emergency is proclaimed by the Director, the Council shall take action to ratify the proclamation within seven days, or the proclamation shall have no further force or effect;

(2) Request the Governor to proclaim a "state of emergency" when the locally available resources are inadequate to cope with the emergency;

(3) Control and direct the effort of the emergency services of the City for the accomplishment of the purposes of this chapter; and

(4) Represent the City in dealing with public or private agencies on matters pertaining to emergencies.

(d) In the event of the proclamation of a "local emergency" or "state of emergency" by the Governor or the Director of the Office of Emergency Services of the State, or the existence of a "state of war emergency," the Director, operating in conjunction with the City Manager may:

(1) Make and issue rules and regulations on matters reasonably related to the protection of life and property as affected by such emergency. Rules and regulations shall be confirmed at the earliest practicable time by the Council.

(2) Obtain vital supplies, equipment, and other properties lacking and needed for the protection of life and property; bind the City for the fair value and, if required immediately, commandeer the same for the public use;

(3) Require the emergency services of officers or employees and to command the aid of as many citizens of the community as necessary. Such persons shall be entitled to the privileges, benefits and immunities as provided by law for registered disaster service workers.

(4) Requisition necessary personnel or material of City departments; and

(5) Execute ordinary powers as City Manager, the special powers conferred by this chapter, by resolution of an emergency plan adopted by the Council, and powers conferred by statute, agreements approved by the Council, or other lawful authority.

(e) The Assistant Director shall serve in the Director's place in any situation where the Director is unavailable to attend meetings or otherwise perform duties during an emergency or otherwise. If both the Police and Fire Chief are unavailable, the City Manager shall serve as the Director. In the absence of all three (3) persons, the City Council shall designate a Director.

( Ord. No. 14-725 , § 1, 10-21-2014)

Officers and employees of the City, together with those volunteer forces enrolled to aid them during an emergency, and groups, organizations, and persons who may by agreement or operation of law, including persons impressed into service pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, are charged with duties incident to the protection of life and property in the City during such emergency, shall constitute the Emergency Organization of the City.

( Ord. No. 14-725 , § 1, 10-21-2014)

It is a misdemeanor for a person during an emergency to:

(a) Willfully obstruct, hinder, or delay a member of the Emergency Organization in the enforcement of a lawful rule or regulation issued pursuant to this chapter, or in the performance of a duty imposed by this chapter;

(b) Do any act forbidden by lawful rule or regulation issued pursuant to this chapter if such act is of such 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; or

(c) Wear, carry, or display, without authority, identification specified by the Emergency Agency of the State.

( Ord. No. 14-725 , § 1, 10-21-2014)