[HISTORY: Adopted City of Norwalk Common Council 11-27-1973.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Ch. 31, Civil Defense, adopted
5-11-1971, was superseded by this ordinance.
Because of the existing and increasing possibility of the occurrence
of disasters of unprecedented size and destructiveness resulting from
enemy attack, sabotage or other hostile action, or from fire, flood
or other causes, and in order to ensure that preparations of this
city will be adequate to deal with such disasters, and generally to
provide for and to protect the public peace, health and safety, and
to preserve the lives and property of the people of this city, it
is hereby found and declared to be necessary:
It is further declared to be the purpose of this chapter and
the policy of the city that all civil preparedness functions of this
city be coordinated to the maximum extent with the comparable functions
of the federal government, of this state, of other states and localities
and of private agencies of every type, to the end that the most effective
preparation and use may be made of the city's manpower, resources
and facilities for dealing with any disaster that may occur in this
or other communities.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
All those activities and measures designed or undertaken
to minimize or control the effects upon the civilian population by
natural disaster; to minimize the effects upon the civilian population
caused or which would be caused by an attack upon the United States;
to deal with the immediate emergency conditions, which would be created
by any declared emergency; and to effectuate emergency repairs to,
or the emergency restoration of, vital utilities and facilities destroyed
or damaged by any declared emergency.
An emergency declared by the Mayor, the Governor of the state
or other duly authorized authority in the event of a disaster caused
by enemy attack, sabotage or other hostile action or by fire, flood
or other causes, or in the event of the imminence thereof.
Any organized personnel engaged in carrying out civil preparedness
functions in accordance with the provisions of this chapter or any
rule or order thereunder.
An organization of civil preparedness forces created in accordance
with the provisions of the State Civil Preparedness Act to be dispatched
by the Mayor upon orders from the Governor to supplement civil preparedness
forces in a stricken or threatened area.
It is the intention of the Common Council of the City of Norwalk
that each separate provision of this chapter shall be deemed independent
of all other provisions herein, and it is further the intention of
the Common Council that if any provision of this Act be declared invalid,
all other provisions thereof shall remain valid and enforceable.
[Amended 2-27-1990]
This chapter shall terminate at such time as the Connecticut
Office of Emergency Management or its functions shall cease to be
legally in existence.
[Amended 2-27-1990]
The Mayor is hereby authorized and empowered to do any and all
things necessary to cooperate with the Governor of the state, the
State Emergency Management Director or his agents, the Mayors, First
Selectmen or Emergency Management Directors of other communities within
the state, and with the government of the United States in carrying
out the provisions of the civil preparedness acts of the United States
and of the State of Connecticut and any and all orders, rules and
regulations made and promulgated by the government of the United States
or by the State of Connecticut pursuant to the provisions of said
civil preparedness acts.
The Mayor, or his duly authorized representative or representatives,
is authorized to promulgate such orders, rules and regulations as
may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter in the
furtherance of the civil preparedness plan and program and to protect
life and property. All orders, rules and regulations authorized by
this chapter shall be in writing and shall be available for public
inspection at the place and during the hours specified by the Mayor.
At all times when the orders, rules and regulations made and
promulgated pursuant to this chapter shall be in effect, they shall
supersede all existing ordinances, orders, rules and regulations insofar
as the latter may be inconsistent therewith.
[Amended 2-27-1990]
There is established the Norwalk Office of Emergency Management,
which shall be under the direction and supervision of Emergency Management
Director appointed by the Mayor. The Director of an Emergency Management
is a staff member reporting directly to the Mayor. The Director of
Emergency Management shall be responsible for the organization, administration
and operation of the civil preparedness organization within the city,
subject to the direction and control of the Mayor. The Director shall
hold office at the pleasure of the Mayor and may be removed by the
State Director of Emergency Management for cause.
[Amended 2-27-1990]
There is established the Norwalk Emergency Management Advisory
Council, appointed by the Mayor. Such Advisory Council shall include
a member of the Health, Welfare and Public Safety Committee of the
Common Council of the city, representatives of city agencies concerned
with civil preparedness and representatives of other interests, including
business, industry, labor, agriculture, education, veterans'
and women's groups and others, which are important to the civil
preparedness program. The Mayor shall be Chairman ex officio, and
the Director of Emergency Management shall be Secretary of the Council
ex officio. The Council shall advise the Mayor and the Director on
civil preparedness matters. It shall meet on call of the Chairman.
Each member of the Advisory Council shall be appointed for a term
to be concurrent with the Mayor's term of office. Such members
shall serve without compensation.
[Amended 2-27-1990]
With the consent of the Mayor, the Director of Emergency Management
may represent the city on any regional or state organization for civil
preparedness, and may, on behalf of the city, enter into reciprocal
mutual aid agreements with other cities and towns within the state.
No such agreements shall be valid until approved by the Mayor and
by the State Director of Emergency Management.
The Director may make studies and surveys of the manpower, industries,
resources and facilities of the city to ascertain the capabilities
of the city preparedness and to plan for their most efficient use
in time of emergency.
[Amended 2-27-1990]
As a staff person, the Director will assist the Mayor in the
preparation and updating of the city's emergency operations plans
and standard operating procedures and shall present such plan and
program to the State Director of Emergency Management for his approval.
When the Mayor shall approve the plan, it shall be the duty of all
municipal agencies and all civil preparedness forces in the city to
carry out the duties and functions assigned by the plan and program,
as approved. The plan and program may, from time to time, be modified
in like manner. The Director shall coordinate the civil preparedness
activities of the city to the end that they shall be fully integrated
with the civil preparedness plan and program of the federal government,
of the State of Connecticut and of other communities within the state.
In accordance with the city civil preparedness plan and program,
the Director shall institute such training programs and public information
programs and shall take all other preparatory steps, including the
partial or full mobilization of civil preparedness forces in advance
of actual disaster, as may be necessary to the prompt and effective
operation of the city civil preparedness plan in time of emergency.
He may, from time to time, conduct such practice civil preparedness
exercises as he may deem necessary. He will coordinate the activities
of all civil preparedness agency forces, both full-time and volunteer,
and will be responsible for the recruitment and training of needed
civil preparedness personnel.
As a staff man, the Director will advise the Mayor on matters
pertaining to civil preparedness and disaster emergency operations.
He will coordinate the activities of all town agencies in disaster
emergency situations but in no case will he assume command of any
agency or department other than the civil preparedness agency unless
directly ordered to do so by the Mayor. The head of each such department,
office or agency, in cooperation with and under the direction of the
Director, shall be responsible for the planning and programming of
such activities in the civil preparedness program as will involve
the utilization of the facilities of his department, office, institution
or agency and shall implement and carry out such activities whenever
necessary for the welfare and safety of the city, state and the United
States.
The Director shall organize, recruit and train shelter management
personnel, radiological monitors, auxiliary police, auxiliary firemen,
emergency medical services, mobile support units and any other services
which may be required in carrying out the civil preparedness plans
and programs of the city, the state and the United States.
[Amended 2-27-1990]
When required to do so by the Mayor or the State Director of
Emergency Management, the Director shall provide, establish, maintain
and equip emergency hospitals, casualty stations, ambulances, canteens,
evacuation centers and other facilities or conveyances for the care
of injured or homeless persons.
[Amended 2-27-1990]
When required to do so by the Mayor or the State Director of
Emergency Management, the Director shall provide all necessary buildings,
equipment and supplies for the Office of Emergency Management and
for civil preparedness activities and shall make contracts of lease
or bailments with provision for indemnity in case of loss or damage
in respect to any buildings, equipment or supplies loaned to the Office
of Emergency Management.
The Director will perform such other civil preparedness related
functions as may, from time to time, be assigned to him by the Mayor.
[Amended 2-27-1990]
The Director will maintain contact with the State Emergency
Management Area Office designated for the city and will cooperate
with the State Office of Emergency Management in preparation of required
reports, procedures and other necessary paperwork to ensure the city's
receiving all possible funding, equipment and other benefits available
to the city through state and national emergency management.
[Amended 2-27-1990]
The Director shall, annually, as long as the function of the
Office of Emergency Management is continued, submit a written report
to the Mayor for transmission to the Common Council.
[Amended 2-27-1990]
A.Â
Pursuant to § 31-8, the Mayor may remove, discharge or suspend the Director of Emergency Management at any time. The Director of Emergency Management may remove, discharge or suspend any officer, member or agent of the Office of Emergency Management or any emergency or volunteer service organized by said office.
B.Â
No person shall be employed by the Office of Emergency Management
or the Director thereof unless such employee shall be qualified under
the requirements and standards of the State Merit System, or in accordance
with the personnel policies and practices established by the City
of Norwalk.
In the event of a major disaster caused by enemy attack, sabotage
or other hostile action or by fire, flood or other causes or in the
event of the imminence thereof, the Mayor may declare that a state
of civil preparedness emergency exists.
A.Â
Upon such declaration of emergency, the provisions of this section
shall immediately become effective and shall continue in effect until
the end of such civil preparedness emergency has been declared.
B.Â
The Mayor may order into action all or any part of the civil preparedness
forces of the city. Subject to the operational coordination of the
Director of Emergency Management, the Mayor may:
[Amended 2-27-1990]
(1)Â
Designate such vehicles and persons as shall be permitted to move
and the routes which they shall follow.
(2)Â
Take appropriate measures for protecting the health and safety of
inmates of any institutions within the city and children in the schools.
(3)Â
Order the evacuation of all or part of the population of stricken
or threatened areas and may take such steps as are necessary for the
receipt and care of such evacuees.
(4)Â
Take such other steps as are reasonably necessary in the light of
the emergency to protect the health, safety and welfare of the people
of the city, and to minimize the effects of actual or imminent disasters
due to hostile action or natural causes.
A state of civil preparedness emergency shall cease to exist
upon declaration by the Mayor to that effect, or by vote of a two-thirds
majority of the Common Council, at a regular or special session of
that body.
Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter or
any order, rule or regulation issued pursuant thereto shall be deemed
guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished
by a fine not exceeding $100.
The Director of Emergency Management shall receive such compensation
for performance of his duties as may be determined by the Common Council.
