Chapter 2.100 — EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION

The board of supervisors finds that it is the upmost importance to mitigate the effects of natural or man- made emergencies that results in conditions of disaster or in extreme peril to life, property and to protect

the health and safety of the lives and property of the people of Riverside County.

(Ord. No. 533.6, § 1, 12-4-2018)

The declared purpose of this chapter is to provide for the coordination of disaster mitigation, preparation, response and recovery activities for the protection of persons and property within the County of Riverside in the event of an emergency or disaster; the establishment and direction of the emergency management organization; and the coordination of the emergency related activities of the County of Riverside, functioning as the operational area, with all other stakeholders including but not limited to public agencies, tribal partners, private non-government organizations, and the whole community.

(Ord. No. 533.6, § 2, 12-4-2018)

This chapter is adopted pursuant to Article XI, Section 7 of the California Constitution and the California Emergency Services Act, Government Code Sections 8550, et seq. (the "act") which authorizes the counties to adopt ordinances to establish procedures for the general welfare, safety and protection of the people of a county and to ensure that preparations of a county are adequate to deal with any emergencies.

(Ord. No. 533.6, § 3, 12-4-2018)

The general definitions contained in the Act shall apply to this chapter. These definitions are terms commonly used in the standardized emergency management system (SEMS). A complete listing of all terms is located in the County of Riverside Emergency Operations Plan. Other such terms used herein shall have meanings as used in the act and the county's emergency operations plan (EOP).

A.

"Action plan" means the plan prepared in the emergency operation center (EOC) containing the emergency response objectives of that SEMS level reflecting overall priorities and supporting activities for a designated period. The plan is shared with supporting agencies.

B.

"Affected jurisdiction" means any jurisdiction which is, or has the reasonable possibility of being impacted by an incident or incidents, the magnitude of which is, or may fall within the scope and the intent of this chapter.

C.

"Continuity of government (COG)" means the principle of establishing defined procedures that allow government to continue its essential functions in the event of emergency conditions, including lines of succession and delegation of authority for key decision makers. COG preserves the statutory and constitutional authority of elected officials.

D.

"Department operations center" means a department-level operations center (DOC) used by a distinct discipline including, but not limited to: flood operations, public safety, public works, procurements, social services, public health, medical, hazardous material, information technology, and communications. DOCs may be used at all SEMS levels above the field response level depending upon the impacts of the emergency.

E.

"Director of emergency services" means during a proclamation of a local emergency, state of emergency, or state of war emergency, the director of emergency services shall be responsible for providing the overall management and direction of the emergency management organization for the control of the emergency. The director of emergency services shall be the county executive officer or designee.

F.

"Disaster" means a severe or prolonged emergency that threatens life, property, environment and/or critical systems.

G.

"Disaster council" means that the disaster council provides for communication and coordination between and amongst the public and private sectors in the operational area. The disaster council reviews and makes recommendations on matters pertinent to the development of emergency and disaster mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery plans and programs. Ultimate approval of operational area plans remains with the board of supervisors. The county disaster council is authorized to recommend for adoption to the board of supervisors emergency and mutual aid plans and agreements as well as ordinances, resolutions, rules and regulations as may be necessary to implement such plans and agreements, and any necessary amendments.

H.

"Disaster service worker" means any designated disaster service worker which includes public employees and any unregistered person pressed into service during a local emergency, state of emergency and/or State of War emergency, by a person having authority to command the aid of citizens in the execution of his duties. It does not include any member registered as an active firefighting member of any regularly organized volunteer fire department, having official recognition, and full or partial support of the county, city, town or district in which such fire department is located.

I.

"Emergency" means an incident or set of incidents, natural, or human-caused that requires responsive actions to protect life, property, environment, and/or critical systems.

J.

"Emergency management department" means the lead County of Riverside department established to ensure coordinated operational area level activities for emergency and disaster mitigation, planning,

response and recovery through administration of the emergency management program on behalf of the County of Riverside and the director of emergency services.

K.

"Emergency management organization" means that it consists of all officers and employees of the County of Riverside, its agencies, and of the cities and districts of Riverside County, together with all volunteers and all groups, organizations and persons commandeered under the provisions of the act and this chapter, with all equipment and material publicly owned, volunteered, commandeered or in any way under the control of the aforementioned personnel, for the support of the aforementioned personnel in the conduct of emergency operations.

L.

Emergency management program" means a comprehensive system of planning, preparedness and mitigation activities, designed to prepare the county and operational area for coordinated emergency and disaster response and recovery as outlined in the EOP.

M.

"Emergency operations center (EOC)" means a location from which centralized emergency management can be performed.

N.

"Essential program function(s)" means any activities that enable an agency, department, organization or individual to carry out emergency response actions, provide vital services, protect the safety and well-being of the citizens of the program's jurisdiction, and maintain the economic base of the program.

O.

"Hazard" means something that has the potential to be the primary cause of an incident.

P.

"Local emergency" means the duly proclaimed existence of conditions of disaster or of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property within the territorial limits of a county, city and county, or city, caused by conditions such as air pollution, fire, flood, storm, epidemic, riot, drought, cyberterrorism, sudden and severe energy shortage, plant or animal infestation or disease, the Governor's warning of an earthquake or volcanic prediction, or an earthquake or other conditions, 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 that political subdivision and require the combined forces of other political subdivisions to combat.

Q.

"Local emergency medical services agency" means the County agency as defined in Health and Safety Code Section 1797.200 having primary responsibility for the administration of emergency medical services within the county.

R.

"Local government" means any local agencies is a city, city and county, county, county office of education, community college district, school district, or special district as defined in Government Code Section 8680.2.

S.

"Mitigation" means any activities designed to reduce or eliminate risks to persons or property or to lessen the actual or potential effects or consequences of a disaster. Mitigation involves ongoing actions to reduce exposure to, probability of, or potential loss due to hazards.

T.

"Multi-agency or inter-agency coordination" means the participation of agencies and disciplines involved at any level of the SEMS organization working together in a coordinated effort to facilitate decisions for overall emergency response activities, including the sharing of critical resources and the prioritization of incidents.

U.

"National Incident Management System (NIMS)" means a comprehensive, national approach to incident management that is applicable at all jurisdictional levels and across functional disciplines. It is intended to be applicable across a full spectrum of potential incidents, hazards, and impacts, regardless of size, location or complexity.

V.

"Operational area level" means an intermediate level of the state emergency services organization, consisting of a county and all political subdivisions within the county area. Each county is designated as an operational area under the act. An operational area is used by the county and the political subdivisions comprising the operational area for the coordination of emergency activities and to serve as a link in the system of communications and coordination between the state's emergency operation centers and the operation centers of the political subdivisions comprising the operational area, as defined in Government Code Sections 8559(b) and 8605.

W.

"Operational area planning committee (OAPC)" means the organization established to provide technical and subject matter input from stakeholders to the disaster council and emergency management department concerning operational area emergency and disaster mitigation, planning and preparedness activities. Membership in the committee shall include members of the emergency management organization who have signed an operational area agreement.

X.

"Preparedness" means the range of deliberate, critical tasks and activities necessary to build, sustain, and improve the operational capability to prevent, protect against, mitigate against, respond to, and recover from disasters. Preparedness is a continuous process.

Y.

"Policy group" means a specific ad-hoc group assembled as a part of the EOC management structure that is comprised of decision makers including, but not limited to; elected officials, officials with specific statutory authority (e.g., public health officer, sheriff, EMS medical director, agricultural commissioner) and city managers that can advise the director of emergency services on specific policy level decisions during an emergency or disaster.

Z.

"Public health emergency" means an occurrence or imminent threat of an illness or health condition that is believed, by the health officer, to endanger public health and safety.

AA.

"Recovery" means the development, coordination, and execution of plans or strategies for the restoration of impacted communities and government operations and services through individual, private sector, non- governmental and public assistance.

BB.

"Response" means the efforts to minimize the short-term direct effects of an incident threatening life, property, environment or critical systems.

CC.

"Stakeholder" means, at a minimum, public, private, and non-governmental agencies, departments, organizations, and individuals that have functional roles in the emergency management program.

DD.

"Standardized emergency management system (SEMS)" means a standardized response to emergencies involving multiple jurisdictions or multiple agencies. It is based upon the principles and components of emergency management including ICS, multi-agency coordination, operational area concept, and established mutual aid systems.

EE.

"Standby successors" means those standby officers as defined by Government Code Sections 8638 - 8641 which have been appointed by the board of supervisors to fill the positions of the board of supervisors should one or more of its members become unavailable during a State of War Emergency, State of Emergency, or local emergency. The board of supervisors shall appoint three standby successors for each member of the board of supervisors. The duties of the standby successors are listed in Government Code Section 8641.

FF.

"State of emergency" means the duly proclaimed existence of conditions of disaster or of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property within the state caused by such conditions as air pollution, fire, flood,

storm, epidemic, riot, drought, sudden and severe energy shortage, plant or animal infestation or disease, the Governor's warning of an earthquake or volcanic prediction, or an earthquake, or other conditions, other than conditions resulting from a labor controversy or conditions causing a "state of war emergency," which, by reason of their magnitude, are or are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of any single county, city and county, or city and require the combined forces of a mutual aid region or regions to combat, or with respect to regulated energy utilities, a sudden and severe energy shortage requiring extraordinary measures beyond the authority vested in the California Public Utilities Commission.

GG.

"State of War Emergency" means the condition which exists immediately, with or without a proclamation thereof by the Governor, whenever this state or nation is attacked by an enemy of the United States, or upon receipt by the state of a warning from the federal government indicating that such an enemy attack is probable or imminent.

HH.

"Unavailable" means, as used in Section 8636 of the California Government Code and this ordinance, "unavailable" means that an officer is either killed, missing, or so seriously injured as to be unable to attend meetings and otherwise perform his duties. Any question as to whether a particular officer is unavailable shall be settled by the governing body of the political subdivision or any remaining available members of said body (including standby officers who are serving on such governing body).

(Ord. No. 533.6, § 4, 12-4-2018)

The Riverside County Emergency Management Organization consists of all officers and employees of the County of Riverside, its agencies, cities, tribal governments and special districts of Riverside County, together with all volunteers and all groups, organizations and persons commandeered under the provisions of the act and this chapter, with all equipment and material publicly owned, volunteered, commandeered or in any way under the control of the aforementioned personnel, for the support of the aforementioned personnel in the conduct of emergency operations.

A.

The Riverside County Emergency Management Organization shall be activated, and function only:

(1)

Upon the existence of a State of War Emergency;

(2)

Upon the Proclamation by the Governor of the State of California, or of persons authorized to act in his/her stead, of a State of Emergency affecting and including Riverside County; or

(3)

Upon the Proclamation of a Local Emergency by the Board of Supervisors of Riverside County, or by persons herein authorized to act in its stead.

(4)

Upon the Proclamation of a Public Health Emergency by the Board of Supervisors of Riverside County, or by persons herein authorized to act in its stead.

(5)

Two or more local government jurisdictions within the operational area have activated their emergency operations center or upon a request from a local government jurisdiction.

(6)

The operational area is requesting resources from outside its boundaries, except those resources used in normal day-to-day operations which are obtained through existing agreements providing for the exchange or furnishing of certain types of facilities and services on a reimbursable, exchange, or other basis as provided for under the master mutual aid agreement;

(7)

The operational area has received resource requests from outside its boundaries, except those resources used in normal day-to-day operations which are obtained through existing agreements for the exchange or furnishing of certain types of facilities and services on a reimbursable, exchange, or other basis as provided for under the master mutual aid agreement.

(8)

It is deemed necessary by the director of emergency services in order to support emergency or extreme peril conditions beyond normal day-to-day operations.

(9)

Access to the emergency operations center must be authorized by the emergency services director or the emergency management department director or their designees. Access will be authorized to those persons deemed necessary to assist the county and the authorization shall be effective for the duration of the activation.

B.

The emergency management organization shall be composed of such elements as are provided for in the County of Riverside EOP. The EOP shall provide for the organization of the emergency management organization, utilizing the concepts of the SEMS and the NIMS. The Officers of the County of Riverside shall have the duty and authority to plan for the mobilization, operation and support of that segment of the emergency management organization for which each is responsible as provided for in the EOP.

(Ord. No. 533.6, § 5, 12-4-2018; Ord. No. 533.7, § 1, 4-30-2019)

A.

The Riverside County Disaster Council is hereby created and shall consist of the following:

(1)

Chairperson. The chairperson of the board of supervisors, vice chairperson or if unavailable, their replacement as specified in the continuity of government line of succession outlined in section 1.16.130 of this chapter.

(2)

Director of emergency services (county executive officer).

(3)

Secretary. Director of the emergency management department.

(4)

County chief operating officer.

(5)

County chief financial officer.

(6)

Sheriff/Coroner.

(7)

District attorney.

(8)

County fire chief.

(9)

Assistant county CEO - public safety.

(10)

County counsel.

(11)

The director of emergency services from each incorporated city within Riverside County as appointed by the city council.

(12)

The director of emergency services from each tribe within Riverside County as appointed by the tribal council.

(13)

Such representatives of government, military, public safety, civic, business, labor, veterans, professional, educational, faith based, access and functional needs or other organizations having an official emergency responsibility, as may be recommended by the disaster council and approved by the board of supervisors.

b.

The disaster council is hereby empowered to review and recommend for adoption by the board of supervisors, disaster plans and agreements and such ordinances and resolutions as are necessary to implement such plans and agreements.

c.

Additional duties of the disaster council include:

(1)

Approve the OAPC membership;

(2)

Receive reports from the emergency management department related to the emergency management program;

(3)

Receive subject matter reports from the OAPC related to emergency and disaster mitigation, planning, response and recovery activities;

(4)

Review and make recommendations for plan development to meet any condition constituting a local emergency or state of emergency, including, but not limited to, earthquakes, natural, or manmade disasters;

(5)

Annually review hazard identification risk assessment (HIRA) and consequence analysis documents or plans in order to maintain situational awareness of hazards that may affect the county.

D.

The disaster council shall meet semi-annually or upon the call of the chairperson, or in his/her absence or inability to call such a meeting, upon the call of the vice-chairperson of the board of supervisors.

E.

During a local emergency, state of emergency, or state of war emergency, the director of emergency services may call upon the disaster council to advise the EOC policy group or function in part or whole as a multi-agency coordination (MAC) group to advise the EOC policy group on issues related to the protection of persons and property within the County of Riverside.

(Ord. No. 533.6, § 6, 12-4-2018)

There is hereby created the office of director of emergency services. The director of emergency services shall be the county chief executive officer. The director of emergency services is responsible for providing direction and control of the Riverside County Emergency Management Organization during times of emergency or disaster.

A.

If the director of emergency services is unavailable, the county executive officer shall automatically be succeeded by the following officials in the order named:

(1)

Chief operating officer.

(2)

Assistant county executive officer - public safety.

(3)

Assistant county executive officer - human services.

(4)

Assistant county executive officer - economy and community development.

(5)

Assistant county executive officer - public works, land use & environment.

(6)

Assistant county executive officer - Riverside University Health System.

(7)

Emergency management department director.

B.

The director of emergency services shall have the following powers and duties:

(1)

To make key appointments, subject to the approval of the board of supervisors, within the emergency management organization;

(2)

Request the board of supervisors to proclaim the existence of a local emergency if said board is in session, or to issue such proclamation if said board is not in session. Whenever a local emergency is proclaimed by the director of emergency services, the board of supervisors shall take action to ratify the proclamation within seven days thereafter or the proclamation shall have no further force or effect;

(3)

During the existence of State of War Emergency, or the proclaimed existence of a State of Emergency or a Local Emergency affecting Riverside County or the Riverside County Operational Area, to:

i.

Control and direct the activities of the Riverside County Emergency Management Organization;

ii.

Use all county resources for the preservation of life and property and to reduce the effects of the emergency;

iii.

Resolve questions of authority and responsibility that may arise in emergency operations;

iv.

Obtain vital supplies, equipment and other resources needed for the preservation of life and property by either binding the county for the fair value thereof or by commandeering same;

v.

To delegate to elected and appointed officials of the County of Riverside such duties and authorities as he/she deems necessary;

vi.

To make and issue rules and regulations on matters reasonably related to the protection of life and property as affected by any conditions proclaimed as provided herein;

vii.

To require emergency services of any county officer or employee, and to command the aid of as many citizens of the County of Riverside as the director deems necessary in the execution of his/her duties;

viii.

To exercise complete authority over the county and to exercise all police power vested in the county by the constitution and general laws;

ix.

To recommend to the board of supervisors any urgency ordinance that may be necessary for the protection of the health, safety, and welfare of the community during the pendency of the emergency.

x.

In addition to the powers and authorities granted herein, the director of emergency services shall have such powers and authorities incidental to the performance of said duties as shall be necessary to allow for the carrying out of the Emergency Plan of the County of Riverside, it being the intent that the enumerated powers and authorities herein are not intended to be limitations upon the Director's powers and authorities.

(Ord. No. 533.6, § 7, 12-4-2018)

The Riverside County Emergency Management Department is hereby established as the lead county department to ensure coordinated operational area level activities and administer the emergency management program on behalf of the County of Riverside, operational area (OA) and the director of emergency services.

A.

The Riverside County EMD shall be responsible for the development, submission, implementation, and updating of the county and OA emergency operations plan (EOP) and all necessary supporting plans and documents.

B.

The Riverside County EMD shall be responsible for the establishment, development and functional management of the county and OA emergency operations center and back-up EOC.

C.

The Riverside County EMD shall establish the Riverside County Emergency Medical Services Agency (REMSA). REMSA is designated as the local emergency medical services agency as defined by the California Health and Safety Code Section 1797.200.

(Ord. No. 533.6, § 8, 12-4-2018)

The position of emergency management department director is hereby established and shall function as the county and operational area emergency manager.

A.

Prior to the existence of a local emergency or disaster, the emergency management department director (or designee) shall:

(1)

Oversee activities of EMD in support of the emergency management program;

(2)

Represent the County of Riverside with local, state and federal partners;

(3)

Function as the local emergency medical services agency (LEMSA) administrator;

(4)

Function as the public health emergency preparedness (PHEP) program coordinator;

(5)

Ensure emergency management duties under the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) guidelines are followed as required;

(6)

Act as applicant agent along with the county executive officer to Cal OES or FEMA;

(7)

Serve as a technical advisor to the director of emergency services and any multi-agency coordination or policy group meetings;

(8)

Support and coordinate the activities of the disaster council and its subcommittees;

(9)

Recommend to the Riverside County Disaster Council matters for consideration within the purview of said council's responsibilities;

(10)

Chair the operational area planning committee;

(11)

Develop written agreements, ordinances, rules and regulations as may be necessary to support the emergency management program and bring said instruments to the board of supervisors, to recommend their enactment;

(12)

Recommend to the board of supervisors matters of policy for consideration insofar as they relate to emergency and disaster planning, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery;

(13)

Assign duties and authorities to personnel of the emergency management department;

(14)

Ensure that the county's EOP and all associated plans, ordinances, annexes, policies, protocols and procedures are kept up to date, and that current emergency management concepts are applied;

(15)

Ensure that guidelines specified in the SEMS and NIMS are implemented as the method of organization and best practice in all plans and activities.

b.

During a local emergency, state of emergency, and/or state of war emergency, or a disaster affecting Riverside County, the EMD Director, or his/her designee, shall:

(1)

Oversee the activities of EMD and ensure emergency management duties under the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) guidelines are followed as required.

(2)

Be responsible for the operation of the county and OA emergency operations center and the back-up EOC as required;

(3)

Serve as staff advisor to the director of emergency services and any multi-agency coordination or policy group meetings;

(4)

Recommend operating decisions and policies to director of emergency services in the operation of the county emergency management organization;

(5)

Provide for the coordination and facilitation of personnel and material resources as directed by the director of emergency services;

(6)

Perform such duties, in the scope of disaster management, as may be assigned by the director of emergency services.

(Ord. No. 533.6, § 9, 12-4-2018)

The Riverside County Operational Area is an intermediate level of the state emergency services organization consisting of the County of Riverside, all political subdivisions, and those special districts that have signed an agreement and become part of the operational area within the geographic boundaries of Riverside County. The Riverside County Operational Area is used for the coordination of emergency activities and to serve as the link in the system of communications and coordination between the state's emergency operation centers and the emergency operation centers of the county and all political subdivisions comprising the Riverside County Operational Area.

A.

The Riverside County Board of Supervisors has designated EMD as the lead agency for coordination of emergency and disaster planning, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery for the Riverside County Operational Area.

B.

The operational area authority and responsibility under the SEMS or the NIMS shall not be affected by non- participation of any local government(s) within the operational area.

C.

As the lead agency for the operational area, EMD shall perform those duties as provided for in this ordinance and any associated laws, regulations, policies and procedures promulgated to effect those duties including but not limited to:

(1)

Develop and administer operational area agreements.

(2)

Coordinate information, resources and priorities among local governments within the operational area.

(3)

Coordinate information, resources and priorities between the regional level and the local government level. Coordination of fire and law enforcement resources shall be accomplished through their respective mutual aid systems.

(4)

Use multi-agency coordination to facilitate decisions for overall operational level emergency response activities.

(5)

Coordinate resources within the county not covered by normal law enforcement or fire mutual aid.

D.

The emergency management department shall establish policies and procedures for the activation, staffing and management of the county and operational area EOC.

E.

The operational area planning committee is established to provide technical and subject matter input from stakeholders to the disaster council and EMD concerning operational area emergency and disaster mitigation, planning and preparedness activities. Membership in the committee shall be approved by the disaster council and shall include members of the emergency management organization who have signed an operational area agreement.

(Ord. No. 533.6, § 10, 12-4-2018)

Each person who shall succeed to each position of office as provided herein, and as provided in the EOP of the County of Riverside, shall assume all of the powers and duties of the office succeeded to immediately upon such succession.

(Ord. No. 533.6, § 11, 12-4-2018)

During a local emergency, state of emergency, and/or state of war emergency, or a proclaimed emergency, each member of the county emergency management organization shall have authority to require that all persons shall follow reasonable orders given within the scope of functions in order to execute the EOP of the County of Riverside. The willful failure of any person to follow such reasonable order or orders shall be a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) or by imprisonment for not more than six months or both.

(Ord. No. 533.6, § 12, 12-4-2018)

The line of succession for key personnel of the government of the County of Riverside shall be:

A.

If the chairperson of the board of supervisors is unavailable, the chairperson of the board shall automatically be succeeded by the following officials in the order named:

(1)

Vice-chairperson of the board of supervisors.

(2)

The remaining county supervisors followed consecutively in the sequence of the numbers of their respective supervisorial districts.

B.

Standby officers are excluded from the line of succession for the chairperson of the board of supervisors.

C.

For other elected officials, in order of descending authority among existing subordinates, and thereafter as provided by the board of supervisors.

D.

Standby officers:

(1)

Each member of the board of supervisors, pursuant to Section 8638 of the Government Code, has the authority to appoint one to three standby officers to act as a successor for that member of the board.

(2)

Standby officers shall be appointed yearly.

(3)

If more than one standby officer is appointed by a board member, the standby officers shall be designated as successor 1, 2, and 3.

(4)

Standby officers shall succeed their board member based on their designation.

(5)

In accordance with Section 8640 of the Government Code, each standby officer shall take an oath of office required for the position they have been selected for as a successor. Persons appointed as standby officers shall serve in their posts as standby officers at the pleasure of the board of supervisors appointing them and may be removed and replaced at any time with or without cause.

E.

The City of Indio is hereby designated as the alternate seat of government for the County of Riverside. The alternate seat shall be used at the determination of the board of supervisors or the director of emergency services when there is no ability to continue with county business from a location within the general jurisdiction of the City of Riverside due to war or peacetime emergencies. If the alternate seat for the County of Riverside is activated, all business of the county transacted there shall be legal and binding as if transacted at the county seat.

F.

Two emergency operating centers shall be maintained to meet emergency contingencies, and shall be maintained in accordance with Board Policy H-14. One of these is to be located in the county seat and the other in the alternate seat of government.

(Ord. No. 533.6, § 13, 12-4-2018)

By resolution adopted pursuant to this article, the board of supervisors hereby designate the county chief executive officer as the director of emergency services. The director of emergency services shall have the power to proclaim a local emergency.

A.

If the board of supervisors is in session, the director of emergency services shall request that the board of supervisors proclaim the existence or threatened existence of a local emergency, and recommend that the board of supervisors request that the Governor proclaim a state of emergency only when, in the opinion of the director of emergency services, the locally available resources are inadequate to cope with the emergency.

B.

In the event the board of supervisors is not in session, the director of emergency services shall have the authority to initiate a local emergency.

C.

Whenever the director of emergency services proclaims a local emergency, the board of supervisors shall take action to ratify the proclamation within seven days thereafter or the proclamation shall have no further force or effect.

D.

The board of supervisors shall review, at least once every sixty (60) days, the need for continuing the local emergency until the board of supervisors terminates the local emergency. The board of supervisors shall proclaim the termination of the local emergency at the earliest possible date that conditions warrant.

(Ord. No. 533.6, § 14, 12-4-2018; Ord. No. 533.7, § 2, 4-30-2019)

When there has been an event as described in section 2.100.040 Z. of this chapter and as defined in Section 101080 of the California Health and Safety Code, the county health officer may declare a public health emergency in the county or any area thereof that may be affected, if it is reasonably determined that the event is an immediate threat to public health.

A.

The public health emergency declaration shall not remain in effect for a period in excess of seven days unless the board of supervisors has ratified it.

B.

The board of supervisors shall review, at least every thirty (30) days until the local health emergency is terminated, the need for continuing the local health emergency and shall proclaim the termination of the local health emergency at the earliest possible date that conditions warrant the termination.

C.

Section 101040 of the California Health and Safety Code states that the county health officer may take any preventive measure that may be necessary to protect and preserve the public from any public health hazard during any state of war emergency, state of emergency, or local emergency within his or her jurisdiction. "Preventive measure" means abatement, correction, removal, or any other protective step that may be taken against any public health hazard that is caused by a disaster and affects the public health. Funds for these measures may be allowed pursuant to Sections 29127 to 29130, inclusive, and 53021 to 53023, inclusive, of the Government Code, and from any other money appropriated by a county board of supervisors or a city governing body to carry out the purposes of Section 101040. The county health officer, upon consent of the county board of supervisors or a city governing body, may certify any public health hazard resulting from any disaster condition if certification is required for any federal or state disaster relief program.

D.

The county health officer shall manage the event in accordance with the SEMS, which is the official statewide method for disaster response management. According to the Government Code Section 8607(e) (1), "each local agency, in order to be eligible for any funding of response- related costs under disaster assistance programs, shall use the standardized emergency management system as adopted pursuant to subdivision A. to coordinate multiple jurisdiction or multiple agency operations."

E.

The county health officer shall establish a line of succession for the position of county health officer.

F.

In the absence of a county health officer or designee, the county director of emergency services shall act as and have the authority of the county health officer.

(Ord. No. 533.6, § 15, 12-4-2018)

It shall be a misdemeanor and shall be punishable by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) or by imprisonment for not more than six months, or both, for any person during an emergency:

A.

Willfully to obstruct, hinder or delay any member of the Riverside County Emergency Management Organization in the enforcement of any lawful rule, regulation or order issued pursuant to this ordinance, or in the performance of any duty imposed upon by virtue of this chapter;

B.

To do any act forbidden by any lawful rule, regulation or order issued pursuant to this ordinance; if such act is of such a nature as to give, or be likely to give, assistance to the enemy, or to imperil life or property, or to prevent, hinder, or delay the defense or protection of person or property;

C.

To wear, carry or display, without authority, any means of identification specified by the County of Riverside and/or disaster agencies of the federal or state governments.

(Ord. No. 533.6, § 16, 12-4-2018)

If any provision of this chapter or application thereof to any person or circumstances is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications, and to this end the provisions of this chapter are declared to be severable.

(Ord. No. 533.6, § 17, 12-4-2018)