2.44.060 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. 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 the town for the accomplishment of the purposes of this chapter;
4. Direct cooperation between and coordination of services and staff of the emergency organization of the town; and resolve questions of authority and responsibility that may arise between them;
5. Represent the town 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 section, 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 is empowered to:
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 town 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 in the event of the proclamation of a “state of emergency” in the county in which the town is located or the existence of a “state-of-war emergency,” to command the aid of as many citizens of the 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, 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 programs of the town, and shall have such other powers and duties as may be assigned by the director. (Ord. 318 § 6, 1973)