Redlands Municipal Code Ch. 2.52 Emergency Organization

A. The city will participate in the county of San Bernardino operational area disaster response and recovery organization as required by California Government Code section 8607. As part of that participation, the city hereby adopts the standardized emergency management system (SEMS). The SEMS framework includes use of the incident command system (ICS), multiagency or interagency coordination, participation in the master mutual aid agreement and system of the state of California and of operational area concept.

B. As used in this chapter, "emergency" means the actual or threatened existence of conditions of disaster or of extreme peril to the safety of persons 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 controls of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of the city, requiring the combined forces of other political subdivisions to combat. (Ord. 2485 § 1, 2002: prior code § 45000)

The declared purposes of this chapter are to provide 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 all other public agencies, corporations, organizations, and affected private persons. (Prior code § 45001)

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. (Prior code § 45002)

Under the provisions of section 8668(a) of the California emergency services act, existing civil defense and disaster ordinances will remain in full force and effect until revised, amended, or revoked; therefore, the existing ordinances should be expressly repealed by number. Provided, that it is the intent of the city council in enacting this chapter, that it shall be considered a revision and continuation of ordinance 926, which is repealed by the ordinance codified in this chapter, and the status of volunteers shall not be affected by such repeal; nor shall plans and agreements, rules and regulations, or resolutions adopted pursuant to such repealed ordinance be affected by such repeal until amended, modified, or superseded as provided in this chapter. (Prior code § 45003)

The city disaster council shall consist of the following:

A. The mayor of the city, who shall be chairperson;

B. The city manager of the city, who shall serve as the director of emergency services, and who shall be vice chairperson;

C. The emergency services chief who shall coordinate all emergency services for the city and is provided for in the current plan of the city;

D. The disaster council of the city of Redlands shall consist of existing groups that support a strong team merging sectors of the community including elected officials, emergency management, first responders, volunteer services, major industry and commercial, healthcare and education;

E. A citizens corps council shall be created as a subgroup of the disaster council. The citizens corps council will utilize members of the disaster council for the management of existing volunteer resources defined by the council, to leverage mutually supportive endeavors among the represented groups, and to direct overall local plans to implement citizens corps in the community. This council will have the lead role in implementing citizen corp groups within the city of Redlands. (Ord. 2547 § 1, 2003: Ord. 2485 § 2, 2002)

It shall be the duty of the city disaster council, and it is empowered, to develop and recommend for adoption by the city council emergency and mutual aid plans and agreements. (Prior code § 45201)

The disaster council shall meet upon call of the chairman or, in his absence from the city or inability to call such meeting, upon call of the vice chairman. (Prior code § 45202)

There is created the office of director of emergency services. The city manager shall be the director of emergency services. (Prior code § 45301)

There is created a position of the emergency services chief. The emergency services chief shall manage and/or coordinate all activities and responsibilities of this position that relate to disaster planning, response, recovery and mitigation. (Ord. 2639 § 1, 2006: Ord. 2485 § 3, 2002)

The director is empowered to:

A. Proclaim Emergency: 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 (7) days thereafter or the proclamation shall have no further force or effect;

B. Proclaim State Of Emergency: 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;

C. Control, Direct Effort: Control and direct the effort of the emergency organization of the city for the purposes of this chapter;

D. Direct Cooperation, Coordination: 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. Represent Organization: Represent the city in all dealings with public or private agencies on matters pertaining to emergencies as defined herein. (Prior code §§ 45303–45308)

The director of emergency services shall designate the order of succession to that office, to take effect in the event the director is unavailable to attend meetings and otherwise perform his duties during an emergency. Such order of succession shall be approved by the city council. (Prior code § 45309)

The emergency services chief shall, under the supervision of the director of emergency services, develop emergency plans, manage and/or coordinate the emergency programs of the city that relate to disaster planning, response, recovery and mitigation, and shall have such other powers and duties as may be assigned by such director. (Ord. 2639 § 2, 2006: Ord. 2485 § 4, 2002)

In the event of the proclamation of a "local emergency" as provided in subsection 2.52.100A of this chapter, 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 is empowered:

A. Promulgate Rules: 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:

1. City Council; Confirm Rules: Such rules and regulations must be confirmed at the earliest practicable time by the city council;

B. Require Emergency Services: 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 the 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 deems necessary in the execution of his duties.

1. Benefits: Such persons shall be entitled to all privileges, benefits, and immunities as are provided by state law for registered disaster service workers;

C. Requisition Personnel; Material: To requisition necessary personnel or material of any city department or agency;

D. Execute Powers: To execute all of his ordinary power as city manager, 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 other lawful authority. (Prior code §§ 45401–45406)

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 be in agreement or operation of law, including persons impressed into service under the provisions of subsection 2.52.130C of this chapter, be 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. (Prior code § 45501)

The emergency services chief shall be responsible for the development and update of the city of Redlands emergency multihazard functional plan and hazard mitigation plan. The multihazard functional plan shall provide for the effective mobilization of all of the resources of the city, both public and private, to meet any condition constituting a local emergency, state of emergency, or state of war emergency. The hazard mitigation plan shall provide a well organized public education and awareness effort involving preparedness and mitigation. These actions include hazard, risk and vulnerability identification, the identification of mitigation action, and the support of mitigation efforts. Such plans shall take effect upon adoption by resolution of the city council. (Ord. 2639 § 3, 2006: Ord. 2485 § 4 [5], 2002)

In accordance with California Government Code section 8607, the city of Redlands hereby adopts the standardized emergency management system (SEMS). The SEMS framework includes use of the incident command system (ICS), multiagency or interagency coordination, participation in the master mutual aid agreement and system of operational area concept. (Ord. 2547 § 2, 2003)

The city of Redlands adopts the national incident management system (NIMS). The NIMS framework includes use of the incident command system (ICS) and the standardized emergency management system (SEMS), multiagency or interagency coordination, participation in the master mutual aid agreement, and system of operational area concept. The federal homeland security presidential directive 5, entitled "Management Of Domestic Incidents" requires the adoption of NIMS by all federal departments and agencies. This directive also requires that federal preparedness assistance funding for states, territories, local jurisdictions, and tribal entities be dependent on NIMS compliance and adoption. (Ord. 2639 § 4, 2006)

It shall be a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500.00), or by imprisonment for not to exceed six (6) months, or both, for any person, during an emergency, to:

A. Obstruct Organization: Wilfully 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. Violate Rules: 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 the city, or to prevent, hinder, or delay the defense or protection thereof;

C. Misuse Identification: Wear, carry, or display, without authority, any means of identification specified by the emergency agency of the state. (Prior code §§ 45601–45604)