Los Angeles Municipal Code Art. 9 Distribution of Functions and Duties of Emergency Operations

ORGANIZATION

Section 8.50 Distribution of Duties. 8.51 Police Division. 8.52 Fire Suppression and Rescue Division. 8.53 Transportation Division. 8.54 Public Works Division. 8.55 Utilities Division. 8.56 General Services Division. 8.56.1 Supplies Section. 8.56.2 Maintenance Section. 8.57 Building and Safety Division. 8.58 Personnel and Recruitment – Division. 8.59 Public Welfare and Shelter Division. 8.60 Harbor Division. 8.61 Recovery and Reconstruction Division. 8.70 Airports Division. 8.71 Animal Regulation Division. 8.71.1 Information Technology Division.

The functions and duties of the Emergency Operations Organization shall be distributed among the following divisions:

1. Police Division

2. Fire Suppression and Rescue Division

3. Transportation Division

4. Public Works Division

5. Utilities Division

6. General Services Division

   Supplies Section

   Maintenance Section

7. Building and Safety Division

8. Personnel and Recruitment Division

9. Public Welfare and Shelter Division

10. Harbor Division

11. Airports Division

12. Animal Regulation Division

13. Information Technology Division

    Communications Section

    Information Processing Section

    Telecommunications Section

    3-1-1 Center

    SECTION HISTORY

    Based on Ord. No. 97,600. Amended by: Ord. No. 153,772. Eff. 6-18-80; Ord. No. 156,935, Eff. 8-16-82; Ord. No. 176,905, Eff. 9-21-05.

The Police Division shall be under and subject to the control of the Police Department of the City of Los Angeles. The chief of this division shall be the Chief of Police. In addition to the regular powers and duties of this office, and during the period of a local emergency, the chief shall have the power and duty to direct such Police Division personnel as may be necessary to perform the duties under this chapter. The chief shall enforce all laws of the State and City for the preservation of life and property and shall maintain peace and order.

SECTION HISTORY

Based on Ord. No. 97,600. Amended by: Ord. No. 153,772, Eff. 6-18-80.

The Fire Suppression and Rescue Division shall be under and subject to the control of the Fire Department of the City of Los Angeles. The chief of this division shall be the Chief Engineer and General Manager of the Department. In addition to the regular powers and duties of this

office, and during the period of a local emergency, the chief shall have the power and duty to direct such Fire Suppression and Rescue Division personnel as may be necessary to perform the duties under this chapter. The chief shall have charge of and direct the use and control of all explosives and hazardous materials; the demolition of buildings or structures; and the control of all petroleum, chemicals and petroleum or chemical pipelines. The chief shall direct and control all fire suppression, rescue operations, emergency medical services and radiological defense, and shall retain administrative authority for supervision of personnel and equipment provided by other divisions or jurisdictions, and exercise such other powers as may be assigned to this division.

The chief of this division shall coordinate with other governmental and private agencies providing or administering medical services during a local emergency.

SECTION HISTORY

Based on Ord. No. 97,600. Amended by: Ord. No. 153,772, Eff. 6-18-80; In Entirety, Ord. No. 165,083, Eff. 9-4-89.

The Transportation Division shall be under and subject to the control of the Department of Transportation of the City of Los Angeles. The chief of this division shall be the General Manager of the Department. The chief of this division shall develop plans for the maintenance of traffic control devices, emergency travel routes to be used in the event of an emergency, placement of barricades as necessary or as directed by the chiefs of the Police and Fire Suppression and Rescue Divisions, direction and control of traffic, and coordination with all other agencies supplying common carrier services.

SECTION HISTORY

Based on Ord. No. 97,600. Amended by: Ord. No. 128,431; Ord. No. 142,521, Eff. 11-27-71; Ord. No. 153,772, Eff 6-18-80.

The Public Works Division shall be under and subject to the control of the Department of Public Works of the City of Los Angeles. The chief of this division shall be selected by the Board of Public Works from its membership. The chief of this division shall develop plans for, have charge of and arrange for maintenance and repair of streets including placement of barricades, cones or delineators as necessary or as required by the chiefs of the Police and Fire Suppression and Rescue Divisions, street lighting, sewers, storm drains, channels, bridges, the removal of wastes and debris, and engineering investigations as required by any of the divisions. The chief of this division shall develop plans and have responsibility for the functional supervision of division personnel assigned to support rescue work as directed by the Fire Suppression and Rescue Division.

SECTION HISTORY

Based on Ord. No. 97,600. Amended by: Ord. No. 126,966; Ord. No. 153,772, Eff. 6-18-80; In Entirety, Ord. No. 161,859, Eff. 1-18-87.

The Utilities Division shall be under and subject to the control of the Department of Water and Power of the City of Los Angeles. The chief of this division shall be the General Manager and Chief Engineer of the Department. The chief shall develop plans and arrange for the necessary cooperation with, and the emergency services by, both municipally owned and privately owned public utilities, except privately owned communications systems.

SECTION HISTORY

Based on Ord. No. 97,600. Amended by: Ord. No. 128,431; Ord. No. 153,772, Eff. 6-18-80.

The Building and Safety Division shall be under and subject to the control of the Department of Building and Safety of the City of Los Angeles. The Chief of this division shall be the Superintendent of Building and General Manager of the Department. The chief of this division shall have the power and duty to determine the extent of damage to buildings, structures and other installations and soil conditions within the jurisdiction of the Department of Building and safety, to determine imminent and potential hazards to such items, to determine and order the necessary vacating, barricading, demolishing or other abatement of such hazards, to advise individuals or other agencies regarding the condition of buildings or sites and the use of temporary bracing, shoring and other safety measures, to provide liaison and cooperation with other divisions of the Emergency Operations Organization as well as assistance to other City departments, to provide mutual aid, in the form of inspection personnel to other local agencies or municipalities as can be afforded and to supervise volunteer inspection and engineering personnel, who are registered disaster service workers and are assisting Building and Safety Division personnel.

The chief of this division shall also cooperate with other divisions of the Emergency Operations Organization as well as other City departments to develop and recommend to the City Council any appropriate legislation or modifications to existing legislation in order to enhance the safety of buildings and structures or mitigate safety hazards in buildings or structures.

SECTION HISTORY

Based on Ord. No. 97,600. Amended by: Ord. No. 152,427, Eff. 6-29-79; Ord. No. 153,772, Eff. 6-18-80; In Entirety, Ord. No. 165,083, Eff. 9-4-89.

The Personnel and Recruitment Division shall be under and subject to the control of the Personnel Department of the City of Los Angeles. The chief of this division shall be the General Manager of the Department. The chief shall maintain records of all personnel of the Emergency Operations Organization. This division shall be the recruiting center for the Organization, and shall establish a plan for the use of qualified City personnel by any of the divisions requiring additional City forces during a local emergency. The chiefs of all other divisions shall render such services as are requested by the chief of this division in the recruitment of personnel for the various divisions.

The chief of this division shall develop, with the assistance of the Emergency Operations Office, a program for the use of volunteers during

a local emergency. The program shall contain procedures for:

(1) the recruitment of volunteer forces through the media

(2) the registration of volunteers as disaster workers in the State Workers Compensation program;

(3) the dispatching of volunteers at disaster or local emergency command posts or other locations;

(4) the establishing of liaison with Council offices for the dispatching of volunteers to assist on private property; and

(5) the development of such other procedures necessary to implement this section.

All volunteer activities shall be coordinated by the Personnel Division through the Emergency Operations Center during a local emergency.

SECTION HISTORY

Based on Ord. No. 97,600. Amended by: Ord. No. 153,772, Eff. 6-18-80; In Entirety, Ord. No. 165,083, Eff. 9-4-89.

The Public Welfare and Shelter Division shall be under and subject to the control of the Department of Recreation and Parks of the City of Los Angeles. The Chief of this division shall be the General Manager of the Department. The chief shall be responsible for arranging, directing and coordinating sheltering services for persons rendered homeless as a result of a local emergency.

The Chief shall also be responsible for directing the coordination of the provision of these services by Department of Recreation and Parks’ employees, the American National Red Cross, the Los Angeles Unified School District, and other governmental agencies as may be needed to furnish food, clothing, shelter, registration, information services, and rehabilitation to individuals and families affected by a local emergency. The Chief shall be responsible for coordinating information for evacuees and developing and coordinating a shelter-management network. The Chief shall conduct the City’s fallout shelter management program as directed by the Emergency Operations Board.

SECTION HISTORY

Based on Ord. No. 97,600. Amended by: Ord. No. 153,772, Eff. 6-18-80; Ord. No. 156,935, Eff. 8-16-82; In Entirety, Ord. No. 165,083, Eff. 9-4-89.

The Harbor Division shall be under and subject to the Harbor Department of the City of Los Angeles. The chief of this division shall be the General Manager or the Port Warden if so designated by the General Manager of the Harbor Department. The chief shall be responsible for port security. It shall be the chief’s duty to prepare operational plans for the control, anchorage, and movements of ships for the purpose of averting collisions and other hazards during a local emergency. The chief is empowered to evacuate any vessel or vessels that are in actual or imminent peril to the port and to evacuate any vessels that are jeopardized by surrounding conditions, and, whenever practicable, to move mobile equipment at the waterfront and vessels that may be saved or those that may accelerate a local emergency or impede rescue or salvage operations. The chief shall coordinate the division’s operations with those of the Federal agencies having jurisdiction and with those of other divisions in the Emergency Operations Organization. This division shall be staffed by personnel of the Harbor Department as required by the chief of the division.

SECTION HISTORY

Based on Ord. No. 97,600. Amended by: Ord. No. 153,772, Eff. 6-18-80.

The Recovery and Reconstruction Division shall be under and subject to the control of the Emergency Management Department of the City of Los Angeles. The chief of this division shall be the General Manager of the Department.

As it relates to post-emergency recovery and reconstruction, the chief shall work with the other divisions of the Emergency Operations Organization to coordinate the development of recommendations for City policies, to coordinate the development of a plan, and to coordinate the development of necessary legislation. All these developed items shall be subject to approval of the Emergency Operations Board (EOB), Mayor and City Council.

The chief shall work with the other divisions of the Emergency Operations Organization to coordinate the development of each division’s necessary operating procedures and to coordinate each division’s own implementation of the newly adopted policies, plan, legislation and operating procedures relating to post-emergency recovery and reconstruction.

The Director of the Office of Administrative and Research Services shall, in coordination with the chief, assign personnel as may be required to prepare and process applications for Federal and State post-disaster grants.

SECTION HISTORY

Added by Ord. No. 165,083, Eff. 9-4-89. Amended by: Ord. No. 173,336, Eff. 7-10-00, Oper. 7-2-00; Ord. No. 179,421, Eff. 1-19-08.

The Airports Division shall be under and subject to the control of the Department of Airports of the City of Los Angeles. The chief of this division shall be the General Manager or the Airport Manager if so designated by the General Manager of the Department. The chief shall be responsible for airport security. It shall be the duty of the chief of this division to prepare occupational plans for the control of ground operations and management of aircraft and other hazards during a local emergency. The chief shall coordinate emergency activities with the tenants of the airports, the Federal Aviation Administration, other Federal Agencies having jurisdiction, and other divisions in the Emergency Operations Organization. The division shall be staffed by personnel of the Department of Airports as required by the chief of the division.

SECTION HISTORY

Based on Ord. No. 97,600. Amended by: Ord. No. 153,772, Eff. 6-18-80.