Chapter 7.14
EMERGENCY ORGANIZATIONS AND FUNCTIONS*
Sections:
7.14.030 Disaster council—Membership.
7.14.040 Disaster council—Powers and duties.
7.14.060 Powers and duties of the office of the director of emergency services.
7.14.070 Succession to the office of the director of emergency services.
7.14.080 Emergency organization.
7.14.110 Punishment of violations.
* Prior ordinance history: Ords. 661, 858 and 1404.
7.14.010 Purposes.
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 this city in the event of an emergency, the direction of the emergency organization. and the coordination of the emergency functions of this city with all other public agencies, corporations, organizations, and affected private persons.
(Ord. 1626 § 1 (part), 8-13-84: Ord. 1404 § 1 (part), 4-23-79)
7.14.020 "Emergency" defined.
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 this 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 control of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of this city, requiring the combined forces of other political subdivisions to combat.
(Ord. 1626 § 1 (part), 8-13-84: Ord. 1404 § 1 (part), 4-23-79)
7.14.030 Disaster council—Membership.
The South Gate disaster council is created and shall consist of the following:
(a) The mayor, who shall be chairman;
(b) The director of emergency services, who shall be vice-chairman;
(c) The deputy director of emergency services;
(d) Such chiefs of emergency services as are provided for in a current emergency plan of this city, adopted pursuant to this chapter;
(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;
(f) The emergency services coordinator.
(Ord. 1626 § 1 (part), 8-13-84)
7.14.040 Disaster council—Power and duties.
It shall be the duty of the South Gate disaster council, and it is empowered, to develop and recommend for adoption by the city council, 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 call of the chairman, or in his absence from the city or inability to call such meeting, upon call of the vice-chairman.
(Ord. 1626 § 1 (part), 8-13-84: Ord. 1404 § 1 (part), 4-23-79)
7.14.050 Office of director and office of deputy director of emergency services, office of emergency services coordinator.
(a) There is hereby created the office of director of emergency services. The chief administrative officer shall be the director of emergency services.
(b) There is hereby created the office of deputy director of emergency services, who shall be the chief of police.
(c) There is created the office of emergency services coordinator, who shall be such person as the chief of police has previously designated to hold such office.
(Ord. 1626 § 1 (part), 8-13-84: Ord. 1404 § 1 (part), 4-23-79)
7.14.060 Powers and duties of the office of the director of emergency services.
(a) The director or any other person acting in lawful succession to his office, is hereby 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 emergency organization of this city for the accomplishment of the purposes of this chapter;
(4) Direct cooperation between and coordination of services and staff of the emergency organization of this city, 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) In the event of the proclamation of a "local emergency" as provided in 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 or any person acting in lawful succession to his office is empowered:
(A) 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 must be confirmed at the earliest practicable time by the city council,
(B) To obtain vital supplies, equipment, and such other properties found lacking and needed for the protection of life and property and to bind the city for fair value thereof and, if required immediately, to commandeer the same for public use,
(C) To require emergency services of any city officer or employee and, in the event of a proclamation of a "state or emergency" in the country in which this city is located or the existence of a "state of war emergency," to command the aid of as many citizens of this community as he deems necessary in the execution of his duties. Such persons shall be entitled to all privileges, benefits, and immunities as are provided by state law for registered disaster service workers,
(D) To requisition necessary personnel or material of any city department or agency, and
(E) To execute all of his ordinary power as chief administrative officer. 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 any other lawful authority.
(Ord. 1626 § 1 (part), 8-13-84)
7.14.070 Succession to the office of the director of emergency services.
(a) Order of Succession to the Office of Director of Emergency Services. The order of succession to the office of the director of emergency services during a state of emergency," as defined in Section 7.14.020 shall be as follows:
(1) Deputy director of the office of emergency services (the chief of police);
(2) Emergency services coordinator (the person assigned to the office by the chief of police);
(3) The city engineer/public works director such that the person preceding in the order of succession shall perform the duties of the director, if the director, or any other preceding person, is unavailable or unable to perform the duties of his office.
(c) The emergency services coordinator shall, under the supervision of the director and with the assistance of emergency service chiefs, develop emergency plans and manage the emergency programs of this city, and shall have such other powers and duties as may be assigned by the director.
(Ord. 1626 § 1 (part), 8-13-84: Ord. 1404 § 1 (part), 4-23-79)
7.14.080 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 the provisions of Section 7.14.060(a)(6)(C), be charged with duties incident to the protection of life and property in this city during such emergency, shall constitute the emergency organization of the city, and shall be under the direction of and at the disposal of the director of emergency services or the lawful succession to his office.
(Ord. 1626 § 1 (part), 8-13-84: Ord. 1404 § 1 (part), 4-23-79)
7.14.090 Emergency plan.
The South Gate disaster council shall be responsible for the development of the city of South Gate emergency plan, which plan shall provide for the effective mobilization of all of the resources of this city, 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 city council.
(Ord. 1626 § 1 (part), 8-13-84: Ord. 1404 § 1 (part), 4-23-79)
7.14.100 Expenditures.
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 and the director is hereby authorized to make or incur same during a state of "emergency" for or on behalf of the city of South Gate.
(Ord. 1626 § 1 (part), 8-13-84: Ord. 1404 § 1 (part), 4-23-79)
7.14.110 Punishment of violations.
It shall be a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not to exceed one thousand dollars, or by imprisonment for not to exceed six months, or both, for any person, during an emergency, to:
A. 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 this city, or to prevent, hinder, or delay the defense or protection thereof;
B. Wear, carry, or display, without authority, any means of identification specified by the emergency agency of the state.
(Ord. 2011 § 1 Exh. A (part), 8-27-96: Ord. 1626 § 1 (part), 8-13-84: Ord. 1404 § 1 (part), 4-23-79)
7.14.120 Severability.
If any provision of this chapter or the application thereof to any person or circumstance 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. 1626 § 1 (part), 8-13-84: Ord. 1404 § 1 (part), 4-23-79)