Chapter 2.24
EMERGENCY ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTIONS1
Sections:
2.24.030 Disaster council – Membership.
2.24.040 Disaster council – Powers and duties.
2.24.050 Director and assistant director of emergency services – Created.
2.24.060 Director and assistant director of emergency services – Powers and duties.
2.24.070 Emergency organization.
2.24.100 Unlawful acts designated – Penalty.
2.24.010 Purpose.
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. 890 § 2 Exh. A (part), 2019: Ord. 162 § 1, 1973)
2.24.020 Emergency defined.
As used in this chapter, “emergency” means a local emergency, as defined by Government Code Section 8558(c), as may be amended from time to time. At the time of adoption of the ordinance codified in this chapter, a “local emergency” is defined as:
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 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, or with respect to regulated energy utilities, a sudden and severe energy shortage requires extraordinary measures beyond the authority vested in the California Public Utilities Commission.
(Ord. 890 § 2 Exh. A (part), 2019: Ord. 162 § 2, 1973)
2.24.030 Disaster council – Membership.
The Cotati 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 assistant director of emergency services, if applicable;
D. Such department heads 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. (Ord. 890 § 2 Exh. A (part), 2019: Ord. 162 § 3, 1973)
2.24.040 Disaster council – Powers and duties.
It shall be the duty of the Cotati 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. 890 § 2 Exh. A (part), 2019: Ord. 162 § 4, 1973)
2.24.050 Director and assistant director of emergency services – Created.
A. There is created the office of director of emergency services. The city manager shall be the director of emergency services.
B. There is created the office of assistant director of emergency services, who shall be appointed by the director as needed. (Ord. 890 § 2 Exh. A (part), 2019: Ord. 162 § 5, 1973)
2.24.060 Director and assistant director of emergency services – Powers and duties.
A. The director 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 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 herein provided or as proclaimed by the city of Cotati or county of Sonoma, the director 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 the other properties found lacking and needed for the protection of life and property and to bind the city for the 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,
d. To requisition necessary personnel or material of any city department or agency, and
e. To execute all of his ordinary power as city manager, 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;
7. In the event of the proclamation of a “state of emergency” or “state of war emergency” in the county of Sonoma by the Governor or the Director of the State Office of Emergency Services, the director 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 the other properties found lacking and needed for the protection of life and property and to bind the city for the 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 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 city manager, 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.
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 city council.
C. The assistant director 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. 890 § 2 Exh. A (part), 2019: Ord. 162 § 6, 1973)
2.24.070 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 2.24.060(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. (Ord. 890 § 2 Exh. A (part), 2019: Ord. 162 § 7, 1973)
2.24.080 Emergency plan.
The Cotati disaster council shall be responsible for the development of the city 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. 890 § 2 Exh. A (part), 2019: Ord. 162 § 8, 1973)
2.24.090 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. Emergency purchasing requirements shall follow the adopted purchasing policies of the city. (Ord. 890 § 2 Exh. A (part), 2019: Ord. 162 § 9, 1973)
2.24.100 Unlawful acts designated – Penalty.
In addition to the civil remedies allowed under Chapter 1.20, General Penalty, it is 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. Willfully obstruct, hinder or delay any member of the emergency organization in the enforcement of any lawful rule or regulation issued pursuant to this chapter, or in the performance of any duty imposed upon him by virtue of this chapter;
B. Do any act forbidden by any lawful rule or 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 lives or property of inhabitants of this city, or to prevent, hinder or delay the defense or protection thereof;
C. Wear, carry or display, without authority, any means of identification specified by the emergency agency of the state. (Ord. 890 § 2 Exh. A (part), 2019: Ord. 162 § 10, 1973).
For statutory provisions regarding the establishment and powers of local war or disaster councils, see Gov. Code § 8610 et seq.; for the criteria governing certification of a local disaster council by the State Emergency Council, see Gov. Code § 8612; for provisions regarding mutual aid between local governments and the state, see Gov. Code § 8615 et seq.; for provisions authorizing an ordinance outlining emergency executive powers, see Gov. Code § 38791.