Chapter 2 — CIVIL DEFENSE

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 County in the event of an emergency, the direction of the Emergency Organization, and the coordination of the emergency functions of the County with all other public agencies, corporations, organizations, and affected private persons.

(§ 1, Ord. 589, eff. April 12, 1973)

As used in this Chapter, "emergency" shall mean the actual or threatened existence of conditions of disaster or of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property within the County caused by such conditions as air pollution, fire, flood, storm, epidemic, riot, or earthquake, or other conditions, including

conditions resulting from war or the imminent threat of war, but 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 the County, requiring the combined forces of other political subdivisions to combat.

(§ 1, Ord. 589, eff. April 12, 1973)

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

(a)

The chairman of the Board of Supervisors who shall be chairman;

(b)

The Director of Emergency Services who shall be vice-chairman;

(c)

The Assistant Director of Emergency Services;

(d)

Such chiefs of emergency services as are provided for in a current Emergency Plan of the County adopted pursuant to the provisions of this Chapter; and

(e)

Such representatives of civic, business, labor, veteran, professional, or other organizations having an official emergency responsibility as may be appointed by the Board of Supervisors.

(§ 1, Ord. 589, eff. April 12, 1973)

It shall be the duty of the Siskiyou County Disaster Council, and it is hereby empowered, to develop and recommend for adoption by the Board of Supervisors emergency and mutual aid plans and agreements and such ordinances and resolutions and rules and regulations as are necessary to implement such plans and agreements. The Disaster Council shall meet upon the call of the chairman or, in his absence from the County or inability to call such meeting, upon the call of the vice-chairman.

(§ 1, Ord. 589, eff. April 12, 1973)

(a)

There is hereby created the office of Director of Emergency Services, who shall be appointed by the Board of Supervisors.

(b)

There is hereby created the office of Assistant Director of Emergency Services, who shall be appointed by the Director.

(§ 1, Ord. 589, eff. April 12, 1973)

(a)

The Director of Emergency Services is hereby empowered to:

(1)

Request the Board of Supervisors to proclaim the existence or threatened existence of a local emergency, if the Board of Supervisors is in session, or to issue such proclamation if the Board of Supervisors is not in session. Whenever a local emergency is proclaimed by the Director, the Board of Supervisors shall take action to ratify the proclamation within seven (7) days thereafter, or the proclamation shall have no further force or effect;

(2)

Recommend that the chairman of the Board of Supervisors or County Administrative Officer 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 Emergency Organization of the County for the accomplishment of the purposes of this Chapter;

(4)

Direct cooperation between and the coordination of the services and staff of the Emergency Organization of the County and resolve questions of authority and responsibility that may arise between them;

(5)

Represent the County in all dealings with public or private agencies on matters pertaining to emergencies as defined in Section 3-2.02 of this Chapter; and

(6)

In the event of the proclamation of a local 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 hereby empowered:

(i)

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, such rules and regulations shall be confirmed at the

earliest practicable time by the Board of Supervisors;

(ii)

To obtain vital supplies, equipment, and such other properties found lacking and needed for the protection of life and property, to bind the County for the fair value thereof, and, if required immediately, to commandeer the same for public use;

(iii)

To require the emergency services of any County officer or employee and, in the event of the proclamation of a state or emergency in the County or the existence of a state of war emergency, to command the aid of as many citizens of the County as he deems necessary in the execution of his duties. Such persons shall be entitled to all the privileges, benefits, and immunities as are provided by State law for registered disaster service workers;

(iv)

To requisition necessary personnel or material of any County department or agency; and

(v)

To execute all of the special powers conferred upon him by the provisions of this Chapter or by resolution or Emergency Plan pursuant hereto adopted by the Board of Supervisors and all powers conferred upon him by any statute, by any agreement approved by the Board of Supervisors, and by any other lawful authority.

(b)

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 Board of Supervisors.

(c)

The Assistant Director of Emergency Services shall be first in order of succession to the Director and shall have such other powers and duties as may be assigned by the Director.

(§ 1, Ord. 589, eff. April 12, 1973)

All officers and employees of the County, 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 the provisions of subsection (iii) of subsection (6) of subsection (a) of Section 3-2.06 of this Chapter, be charged with duties incident to the protection of life and property in the County during such emergency shall constitute the Emergency Organization of the County.

(§ 1, Ord. 589, eff. April 12, 1973)

The Siskiyou County Disaster Council shall be responsible for the development of the County of Siskiyou Emergency Plan. Such plan shall provide for the effective mobilization of all of the resources of the County, both public and private, to meet any condition constituting a local emergency, state of emergency, or state of war emergency and shall provide for the organization, powers and duties, services, and staff of the Emergency Organization. Such plan shall take effect upon adoption by resolution of the Board of Supervisors.

(§ 1, Ord. 589, eff. April 12, 1973)

The County Health Officer is empowered to proclaim a state of local emergency in Siskiyou County only when he or she finds that conditions of disaster or of extreme peril to the safety of persons within Siskiyou County are caused, or likely to be caused, by such health conditions as epidemic or similar health conditions, which conditions are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment and facilities to Siskiyou County requiring the combined forces of other political subdivisions to combat. Whenever a local health-related emergency is proclaimed by the Public Health Officer, the Board of Supervisors shall take action to ratify the proclamation within seven (7) days thereafter, or the proclamation shall have no further force or effect. The Board shall review the need for such emergency in accordance with Government Code Section 8630.

(§ II, Ord. 05-16, eff. December 6, 2005)

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 County.

(§ I, Ord. 05-16, eff. December 6, 2005)

It is a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine not to exceed Five Hundred and no/100ths ($500.00) Dollars, or by imprisonment for not to exceed six (6) months, or both, for any person during a state of war emergency, state of emergency, or local emergency to:

(a)

Wilfully obstruct, hinder, or delay any member of the Emergency Organization in the enforcement of any lawful rule or regulation issued pursuant to the provisions of this Chapter or in the performance of any duty imposed upon him by virtue of the provisions of this Chapter;

(b)

Do any act forbidden by any lawful rule or regulation issued pursuant to the provisions of 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 County, or to prevent, hinder, or delay the defense or protection thereof; and

(c)

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

(§ I, Ord. 05-16, eff. December 6, 2005)