§ 674.203. Emergency Preparedness organization.

(a)

Authorization. The Council hereby authorizes the emergency preparedness organization established in this Section. Whenever the Mayor activates the emergency preparedness organization, the elements and units created by this Section shall be formed and function as provided in this Section and shall proceed to execute the emergency preparedness plan, or so much thereof as is necessary, or to practice its execution. The Mayor, acting through the Chief, shall schedule and conduct mock or practice disasters with sufficient frequency that the personnel involved in the emergency preparedness organization become familiar with their duties and functions in the emergency preparedness plan.

(b)

Structure. The emergency preparedness organization of the City shall be organized as follows:

(1)

Head of emergency preparedness organization. The head of the emergency preparedness organization shall be the Mayor, assisted by the Jacksonville Security Coordinator, an Executive Group and an Operations Group. Control and direction of the emergency preparedness organization shall be vested in the Mayor and he shall be responsible for the prompt, efficient execution of the emergency preparedness plan, or so much thereof as is necessary to:

(i)

Reduce the vulnerability of the people and of the City to damage, injury and loss of life and property.

(ii)

Prepare for and execute rescue, care and treatment of persons victimized or threatened by disaster.

(iii)

Provide a setting conducive to the rapid and orderly start of restoration and rehabilitation of persons and property affected by a disaster.

(2)

Executive Group. There is an Executive Group, under the coordination of the Mayor, which is comprised of the Jacksonville Security Coordinator and appropriate department heads and other key individuals identified by the Mayor. The Executive Group will carry out the following responsibilities:

(i)

Provides direction and control of the emergency preparedness organization.

(ii)

Issues Executive Orders, proclamations and regulations. Amends and/or rescinds directives in light of fulfilling responsibilities.

(iii)

Provides for an orderly transition to normalcy following an emergency.

(iv)

Initiates action to operationalize the Emergency Operation Center.

(v)

Formulates responses to crisis situations.

(vi)

Develops and issues emergency policy decisions.

(vii)

Maintains public information channels with appropriate and timely information releases.

(viii)

Addresses security of all consolidated government and independent agency property including issuing badges and maintaining a log-in/log-out book at City Hall at St. James, while ensuring public access to public buildings, personnel and services.

(ix)

Develops mail-handling policies and training.

(x)

Develops evacuation procedures including written directives for securing City-owned equipment for all City-owned properties.

(xi)

Establishes mandatory security measures to be utilized by the City's Information Technology Division (ITD) including, but not limited to, providing security of the physical location as well as securing all information technology.

(xii)

Develops and maintains a security evaluation of City Hall at St. James in addition to all other City-owned buildings with reports of said evaluations to be provided to City Council on an annual basis or upon request of the Council.

(xiii)

Ensures that ITD will create and maintain a website to provide information to the public including information for family and community security and emergency preparedness and provide for updates during emergencies.

(3)

Operations Group. There is an Operations Group, under the Executive Group, which is headed by the Jacksonville Security Coordinator and includes both operational and services staffing. Primary responsibilities assigned to the group include the following:

(i)

Ensures the implementation of directives issued by the Executive Group.

(ii)

Keeps the Executive Group informed about the response to the needs created by the emergency situation.

(iii)

Maintains upward, downward and lateral communication within the emergency operational structure.

(iv)

Promotes coordination and cooperation among public and private sector participants.

(v)

Coordinates inter- and intra-governmental activities including the activities, services, and programs for emergency management within the County and maintains liaison with other federal, state and local emergency management agencies.

(vi)

Provides fire and rescue services designed to protect life and property, ensure fire protection, respond to emergency medical, search and rescue services, and utilize volunteer fire and rescue manpower to augment regular full-time personnel.

(vii)

Provides law enforcement services designed to protect life and property, ensure the management, operation and control of police and traffic safety, execute traffic control procedures and establishes/maintains open routes for evacuation, movement of response efforts, control of re-entry to affected areas, enhance a smooth transition when activating the Emergency Operations Center, and utilize volunteer police manpower to supplement the regular work force.

(viii)

Ensures adequate health and medical services by establishing first aid, ambulance services, emergency hospital systems, casualty services, distribution and collection of health supplies, maintaining blood services, providing laboratory services, morgue and nutrition services, maintaining and restoring water sanitation, proper handling of medical records and coordinating the administration of medical services, coordination of the utilization of health personnel, assisting in the registration and shelter for handicapped persons, and assisting in damage assessment during recovery.

(ix)

Coordinate with the American Red Cross in identifying, establishing and operating emergency shelter facilities capable of housing and mass feeding of affected persons, providing emergency clothing and necessary sundries, coordinating with health and medical services in identifying individuals requiring medical attention, assisting federal and state officials in the preparation and operation of Disaster Application Centers, and providing help in damage assessment for residential units.

(x)

Maintain contact between government and various private, commercial, and industrial organizations involved in emergency operations, provide operational supply functions that include manpower, transportation, telecommunications, fuel, equipment, purchasing, conduct appropriate administrative and financial transactions required and provide assistance in damage assessment.

(xi)

Maintain and/or effect necessary repairs to establish safe water operations, coordinations with the Public Works Department in maintaining the safe disposal of wastewater and sanitation operations, assists in clearing debris, evaluate, repair and construct essential facilities and submit timely damage and repairs assessment reports, maintain and effect the distribution of supplies, tools, and expertise to facilitate safe operations.

(xii)

Coordinate debris removal with the JEA to maintain passable roadways, and endeavor to maintain integrity of water treatment plants and wastewater treatment plants and work with the Public Works Department to evaluate and coordinate repair of roadways and drainage systems and submit timely reports of damage assessments and repairs, maintain and effect the distribution of supplies, tools, and expertise to facilitate safe roadway movement.

(xiii)

Coordinate electrical requirements during the emergency situation, assist in damage/repair assessments and submit timely reports.

(xiv)

Assists in requesting state assistance or invoice emergency-related mutual aid assistance upon declaration of a state of emergency.

(xv)

Initiates and coordinates the activation of the Emergency Operations Center.

(xvi)

Coordinates evacuation of persons throughout the County (including those listed in the registry of disabled citizens.)

(xvii)

Coordinates damage assessments during the recovery phase.

(xviii)

Perform any additional functional requirements, determined by the Mayor to be necessary in responding to or in restoring normal conditions within the City.

(c)

Manning. The manning levels and personnel distribution of the emergency preparedness organization shall be specified in the emergency preparedness plan. To the greatest extent possible, City personnel, including appointed officials and other employees, shall be used to provide a trained, reserve cadre of emergency preparedness personnel, and the assignment of a City employee to a specific position in the emergency preparedness organization shall be considered, during the time that the emergency preparedness organization is activated by the Mayor, as temporary additional duty and not as an assignment or transfer to another public position. Volunteer and auxiliary emergency preparedness personnel shall also be assigned to positions in the emergency preparedness organization, but such assignment shall not ipso facto make the person assigned a public employee nor entitle him to any powers, duties, rights, privileges or immunities except as provided or authorized by this Chapter.

(d)

Activation; inactive status. The emergency preparedness organization being a temporary reorganization of the government to meet the extreme requirements of a disaster, it shall be activated only by order of the Mayor during an actual, impending, mock or practice disaster and at other times as requested by the Governor or to fulfill a mutual aid or interjurisdictional agreement approved by the Council as provided in Section 674.205. The Mayor may activate part or all of the emergency preparedness organization, may expand his order activating part of the emergency preparedness organization to include other parts, and may order part or all of the activated emergency preparedness organization to be deactivated when it is no longer needed to meet the exigencies of the disaster. During the time when the emergency preparedness organization is in an inactive status, the Chief and the Division shall be responsible for maintaining the records, files and other papers pertaining to the various services of the emergency preparedness organization and for keeping and, as necessary, revising an accurate, adequate record of personnel assignments to the emergency preparedness positions authorized by the emergency preparedness plan; and the Division shall provide the headquarters services for the emergency preparedness organization and perform such functions of the emergency preparedness organization as are authorized by the emergency preparedness plan to be performed while the emergency preparedness organization is in an inactive status.

(Ord. 79-1242-665, § 2; Ord. 81-808-365, § 1; Ord. 83-591-400, § 1; Ord. 94-1272-768, § 4; Ord. 97-229-E, § 26; Ord. 2001-1310-E, § 1; Ord. 2011-732-E)

Editor's note— Ordinance 2007-839-E, § 18, authorized updated department/division names pursuant to reorganization.

Note— Former § 430.203.