Plumas County Municipal Code Ch. 1 Disaster Response and Emergency Organization

Footnotes:

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Editor's note— Chapter 1, entitled "Civil Defense," consisting of Sections 4-1.01 through 4-1.09, recodified from Sections 13300 through 13308, P.C.O.C., repealed by Section 11, Ordinance No. 76-172, effective December 9, 1976. Chapter 1, consisting of Sections 4-1.01 through 4-1.10, codified from Ordinance No. 76-172, repealed by Ordinance No. 92-790, effective September 3, 1992

The Plumas County Board of Supervisors acknowledges the serious responsibility of protecting the citizens of Plumas County. The Board of Supervisors understands that citizens will rely on County government to make decisions that will directly affect their lives during a disaster. The purpose of this chapter is to provide for the preparation, maintenance, exercise and implementation of plans for the protection of persons and property within this County in the event of an emergency. This chapter also authorizes the Plumas County Office of Emergency Services and Disaster Council.

(§ 1, Ord. 92-790, eff. September 3, 1992)

As used in this chapter, "emergency" means the actual or threatened existence of an event bringing great damage and possible loss of life. The words emergency and disaster are interchangeable. Some of the hazards which could cause disasters in Plumas County are hazardous materials, wild land fire, severe winter storm, landslide, flood, earthquake, volcanic eruption, multi-casualty accident and nuclear, biochemical or conventional attack.

(§ 1, Ord. 92-790, eff. September 3, 1992)

(a) So that informed decisions can be made and the public protected, the Board of Supervisors creates a group named the Plumas County Disaster Council and charges it with the responsibility of developing and recommending for adoption by the Board of Supervisors an emergency operations plan, mutual aid plans and rules and regulations as necessary.

(b) The membership is flexible as new members can be added as the need for the knowledge and services of additional personnel becomes apparent. The Disaster Council should be made up of representatives from the County's functional areas, such as: fire and rescue operations, evacuation and transportation, public health services, care and shelter operations, radiological protection operations, coroner services, law enforcement and traffic control, restoration of services, communications, managing emergency operations and emergency medical services.

(c) Some functional areas may be represented by more than one person.

(d) The Chairman of the Board of Supervisors will be the Chairman of the Disaster Council, Vice-Chairman will be the Director of the Plumas County Office of Emergency Services.

(e) Unlike other County committees and councils, this one does not have specific individuals as members, specific terms of service nor specific meeting times.

(f) Either the Chairman or the Vice-Chairman can call a meeting. The Disaster Council will meet at least bi-annually.

(§ 1, Ord. 92-790, eff. September 3, 1992)

(a) There is hereby established an office and position in the County service known as the Director of Emergency Services. The Director shall be appointed by the Plumas County Board of Supervisors, and the Board shall prescribe by resolution the salary of the Director.

(b) The Board of Supervisors may establish, as needed, a classified position in the county service known as the Assistant Director of Emergency Services and a salary range for the position. The Assistant Director shall be appointed by the Director.

(§ 2, Ord. 93-820, eff. January 13, 1994, retroactively operative August 4, 1992)

The Director is hereby empowered to:

(a) Coordinate the revision and exercising of the emergency operations plan;

(b) Coordinate disaster response, activate and manage the emergency operations center;

(c) Request that the Board of Supervisors proclaim the existence of a "local emergency" at a regularly scheduled meeting or an emergency meeting;

(d) Proclaim a "local emergency" if the Board of Supervisors cannot meet. Ratification must be obtained from the Board of Supervisors within seven (7) days thereafter or the proclamation will no longer be in force;

(e) Request that the Board of Supervisors 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 disaster;

(f) To require emergency services of any County department head or employee and to command the aid of as many citizens of this County as he/she deems necessary. These citizens will be registered as disaster service workers and shall be entitled to privileges, benefits and immunities;

(g) Use and employ any of the property, services and resources of the County public agencies as necessary;

(h) To request additional resources/assistance from the California Office of Emergency Services, if needed.

(§ 1, Ord. 92-790, eff. September 3, 1992)

The Disaster Council Office of Emergency Services and all department heads and employees of this County, together with volunteer forces recruited to aid them during a disaster and all groups, organizations and persons impressed into service under the provision of Section 4-1.05 of this chapter, who are charged with duties pertaining to the protection of life and property, shall constitute the emergency organization of Plumas County.

(§ 1, Ord. 92-790, eff. September 3, 1992)

The Plumas County Disaster Council shall be responsible for the development of the Plumas County Emergency Operations Plan. The Plan shall provide for the effective mobilization of all of the resources of this County, both public and private, to meet any disaster and shall provide for the organization, powers and duties, services and staff of the emergency organization. The Plan shall take effect upon approval of a memo of declaration of support, signed by the Chairperson of the Board of Supervisors.

(§ 1, Ord. 92-790, eff. September 3, 1992)

It shall be a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not more than One Thousand and no/100ths ($1,000.00) Dollars or by imprisonment for not more than twelve (12) months, or both, for any person, during a "State of War Emergency," "State of Emergency," or "Local Emergency" to:

(a) Willfully obstruct, hinder, or delay any member of the disaster organization or do an act that would give assistance to the enemy or to imperil the lives or property of inhabitants of this County;

(b) Wear, carry, or display, without authority, any means of identification as a disaster service worker.

(c) Willfully or intentionally violate any rule, regulation or order implemented pursuant to Section 4-1.09 of this chapter.

(§ 1, Ord. 92-790, eff. September 3, 1992; § 3, Ord. 04-1006, adopted 6-8-2004)

(a) The County Administrative Officer is empowered to proclaim a state of local emergency if the Board of Supervisors cannot meet. Ratification must be obtained from the Board of Supervisors within seven (7) days thereafter or the proclamation will no longer be in force.

(b) The County Health Officer, or in his/her absence the Alternate County Health Officer, is empowered to proclaim a local emergency only if he or she finds that conditions of disaster or of extreme peril to the safety of persons within Plumas County are caused by such health conditions as epidemic or similar health conditions, which conditions are or are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment and facilities of Plumas County requiring the combined forces of other political subdivisions to combat.

(c) In the event of a duly proclaimed state of local emergency, the County Administrative Officer or the Director of the Office of Emergency Services, or in health-related emergencies the County Health Officer and/or the Alternate County Health Officer, shall have the power during the existence of such emergency conditions to:

1. Issue any rules, regulations, or orders, including but not limited to, the imposition of curfew, when essential to the immediate protection of life and property. Such rules, regulations, or orders shall be confirmed at the earliest practicable time by the Board.

2. Require the emergency services of any officer or employee of the County or any other political subdivision, and to requisition the aid of as many citizens within the County as he or she deems necessary in the execution of his/her duties. Such persons shall be entitled to all privileges, benefits and immunities as are provided by state law for registered emergency service volunteers;

3. Order into service necessary property or material from any County department or agency or any other political subdivision, and in addition, requisition private property or material deemed by him/her necessary in carrying out his/her responsibilities for which the County shall pay a reasonable value thereof.

4. To execute all ordinary powers and all special powers conferred upon him/her by this chapter or by resolution adopted pursuant hereto, and to be responsible for and exercise emergency control over the County. To facilitate the exercise of such unified emergency control, all police power vested in the Board of Supervisors by the Constitution and general laws may be exercised by the County Administrative Officer, the Director of the Office of Emergency Services, the County Health Officer, or the Alternate County Health Officer.

(§ 2, Ord. 04-1006, adopted 6-8-2004)