San Fernando Municipal Code Div. 2 Emergency Organization

All officers and employees of this city, together with those volunteer forces enrolled to aid them during an emergency, and all groups, organizations, and persons who may by agreement or operation of law, including persons impressed into service under subsection 26-63(a)(6)c of this division, be charged with duties incident to the protection of life and property in this city during such emergency, shall constitute the city's emergency organization.

(Code 1957, § 7.7)

(a) There is hereby created the office of director of emergency services. The city administrator shall be the director of emergency services.

(b) There is hereby created the office of vice director of emergency services. The chief of police shall be the vice director of emergency services.

(c) There is hereby created the office of assistant director of emergency services, who shall be the director of public works.

(d) There is hereby created the office of coordinator of emergency services, who shall be a representative of the San Fernando Police Department.

(Code 1957, § 7.5; Ord. No. 1546, § 5, 11-17-2003; Ord. No. 1576, § 1, 11-20-2006)

Cross reference— Officers and employees, § 2-91 et seq.

(a) The director of emergency services is empowered to:

(1) 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 days thereafter or the proclamation shall have no further force or effect.

(2) 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.

(3) Control and direct the effort of the city's emergency organization for the accomplishment of the purposes of this chapter.

(4) Direct cooperation between the coordination of services and staff of the city's emergency organization and resolve questions of authority and responsibility that may arise between them.

(5) Represent this city in all dealings with public or private agencies on matters pertaining to emergencies as defined in this chapter.

(6) If the proclamation of a local emergency is made as provided in this section, 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 to:

a. Make and issue rules and regulations on matters reasonably related to the protection of life and property as affected by such emergency; provided, however, such rules and regulations must be confirmed at the earliest practicable time by the city council;

b. Obtain vital supplies, equipment, and such other properties found lacking and needed for the protection of life and property and bind the city for the fair value thereof and, if required immediately, commandeer the supplies, equipment and other properties for public use;

c. Require emergency services of any city officer or employee and, if the proclamation of a state of emergency is declared in the county in which this city is located or there is the existence of a state of war emergency, command the aid of as many citizens of this community as he/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 disaster service workers;

d. Requisition necessary personnel or material of any city department or agency; and

e. Execute all of his/her ordinary powers as city administrator; all of the special powers conferred upon him by this chapter or by resolution or emergency plan pursuant to this chapter adopted by the city council; all powers conferred upon him/her by any statute, by any agreement approved by the city council, and by any other lawful authority.

(b) The director of emergency services shall designate the order of succession to that office, to take effect if the director is unavailable to attend meetings and otherwise perform his/her duties during an emergency. Such order of succession shall be approved by the city council.

(c) The vice-director shall be responsible for direction of emergency service activities under the direction of the director and city council and shall, in the absence or inability of the director to act, act as director.

(d) The assistant director shall, in the absence or inability to act of the vice-director, be responsible for direction of emergency service activities under the direction of the director and city council and act as vice-director and, in the absence or inability to act of the director, act as director and shall have such other powers and duties as may be assigned by the director.

(e) The coordinator shall, under the supervision of the director and vice-director and with the assistance of emergency service chiefs, develop emergency plans and manage the emergency programs of the city and shall have such other powers and duties as may be assigned by the director.

(Code 1957, § 7.6; Ord. No. 1576, §§ 2, 3, 11-20-2006)