Seal Beach Municipal Code Ch. 3.25 Civil Defense and Disaster

For the purposes of this chapter, the following words and phrases shall mean:

Assistant Director:

assistant director of emergency services.

Director:

director of emergency services.

Emergency:

actual or threatened existence of conditions of disaster or of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property in the city caused.

Emergency Organization:

city officers and employees, together with those volunteer forces enrolled to aid them during an emergency, and all groups or persons who by agreement or law are charged with duties incident to the protection of life and property in the city during an emergency.

(Ord. 1515)

The disaster council has previously been created and shall consist of the following:

A. The mayor, who shall be chair of the council.

B. The director, who shall be vice-chair of the council.

C. The assistant director.

D. Such chiefs of emergency services as are provided for in a current emergency plan of the city.

E. Such representatives of civic, business, labor, veterans, professional or other organizations having an official emergency responsibility, as may be appointed by the director with the advice and consent of the city council.

(Ord. 1515)

The disaster council shall have the following powers and duties:

A. To develop and submit to the city council emergency and mutual aid plans, ordinances, resolutions and agreements.

B. To provide for the organization, powers, duties, services and staff of the emergency organization.

(Ord. 1515)

A. The director shall have the following powers and duties:

1. To request the city council to proclaim the existence or threatened existence of a local emergency if the city council is in session.

2. To proclaim the existence of a local emergency if the city council is not in session. Such proclamation shall be null and void seven days after issuance unless ratified by the city council.

3. To request the governor to proclaim a state of emergency if locally available resources are inadequate to cope with an emergency.

4. To direct the efforts of the emergency organization.

5. To represent the city in dealings pertaining to an emergency.

6. To designate the order of succession of the director's office, which order shall be subject to city council approval and shall be effective in the event the director is unavailable during an emergency.

7. To do the following in the event of a proclaimed local emergency, state of emergency or state of war emergency:

a. Issue regulations on matters reasonably related to the protection of life and property as affected by such emergency. Such regulations shall be confirmed or repealed by the city council at the earliest practical time.

b. Obtain vital supplies and equipment at fair market value or to commandeer such items if immediately required.

c. Command the aid of as many citizens of the city as deemed necessary. This provision applies only to a state of emergency or state of war emergency.

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

B. The assistant director shall have the following powers and duties:

1. Develop emergency plans under the director's supervision and with the assistance of the emergency service chiefs.

2. Manage emergency programs of the city.

(Ord. 1515)

Expenditures made in connection with emergency activities, including mutual aid activities, shall be conclusively deemed to be for the direct protection and benefit of the inhabitants and property of the city.

(Ord. 1515)

No person shall do any of the following during an emergency:

A. Willfully obstruct, hinder or delay any member of the emergency organization in the enforcement of a regulation issued pursuant to this chapter or in the performance of any duty imposed by this chapter.

B. Perform any act forbidden by regulation issued pursuant to this chapter, if the act is of such a nature as to give or be likely to give assistance to the enemy or to imperil the life or property of any inhabitant of the city, or to prevent, hinder or delay the defense thereof.

C. Wear, carry or display without authority any means of identification specified by the emergency agency of the state.

(Ord. 1515)