CHAPTER 2
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

ARTICLE 1. PURPOSES AND DEFINITIONS

SECTION:

§5100    Purposes

§5101    Definitions

§5100 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 establishment, coordination, and direction of the City Emergency Organization, the Disaster Council and the Office of Emergency Services; and the coordination of the emergency functions of this City with all other public agencies, corporations, organizations and affected private persons. (Ord. 995, §1, adopted 1997; Ord. 1207, §1, adopted 2020)

§5101 DEFINITIONS

The following terms as used in this chapter shall, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, have the respective meanings herein set forth:

COUNCIL: The City Council.

EMERGENCY: 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 environmental disasters, air pollution, fire, flood, storm, epidemic, hazardous materials incident, 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. Included within the term "emergency" are the various degrees of emergency enumerated in the California Emergency Services Act, section 8558 of the Government Code including "state of war emergency," "state of emergency," and "local emergency."

Pursuant to Government Code section 8558, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

Local Emergency: 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 such conditions as environmental disasters, air pollution, fire, flood, storm, epidemic, hazardous materials incident, 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 conditions 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.

State Of Emergency: The duly proclaimed existence of conditions of disaster or of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property within the State caused by such conditions as environmental disasters, air pollution, fire, flood, storm, epidemic, hazardous materials incident, 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 or conditions causing a "state of war emergency" in which conditions, by reason of their magnitude, are or are likely to be beyond the control of the services of any single county, city and county, or city, and require the combined forces of a mutual aid region or regions to combat.

State Of War Emergency: The condition which exists immediately, with or without a proclamation thereof by the Governor, whenever this State or nation is attacked by an enemy of the United States, or upon receipt by the State of a warning from the federal government indicating that such an enemy attack is probable or imminent.

EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER (EOC): A location from which centralized emergency management can be performed.

EMERGENCY RESPONSE AGENCY: Any organization responding to an emergency, whether in the field, at the scene of an incident, or to an EOC, in response to an emergency, or providing mutual aid support to such an organization.

EMERGENCY RESPONSE PERSONNEL: Personnel involved with an agency’s response to an emergency.

EMERGENCY SERVICES: All activities carried out pursuant to the California Emergency Services Act.

EXPENDITURES: Any expenditures made in connection with emergency activities, including mutual aid activities, and shall be deemed conclusively to be for the direct protection and benefit of the inhabitants and property of the City.

INCIDENT: An occurrence or event, either human caused or by natural phenomena, that requires action by emergency response personnel to prevent or minimize loss of life or damage to property and/or natural resources.

LEAD AGENCY: The agency designated to act as the primary coordinator and facilitator of emergency services during an emergency within the operational area.

MUTUAL AID REGION: A geographical area defined by the State of California in accordance with the State Emergency Services Act (the City of Ukiah is within the coastal region OES and region 2 of law enforcement and fire).

OPERATIONAL AREA: An intermediate level of the State emergency services organization, consisting of a county and all political subdivisions within the county area. Each county geographic area has been designated by the State as an operational area. An operational area is used by the County and the political subdivisions comprising the operational area for the coordination of emergency activities and to serve as a link in the system of communications and coordination between the State’s emergency operation centers and the operations centers of the political subdivisions comprising the operational area, as defined in Government Code sections 8559(b) and 8605. This definition does not change the definition of operational area as used in the existing fire and rescue mutual aid system. The Mendocino Emergency Services Authority, a joint powers authority comprised of the County of Mendocino and the incorporated cities within the County, shall serve as the lead agency of the operational area unless another member agency of the operational area or another joint powers authority assumes that responsibility by written agreement with county government. The City of Ukiah is a member of the Mendocino County operational area and participates in its functions. (Ord. 995, §1, adopted 1997; Ord. 1207, §1, adopted 2020)