EMERGENCY SERVICES
The preparation for and the carrying out of all emergency
functions, other than functions for which military forces are primarily
responsible, to prevent, minimize and repair injury and damage resulting
from disasters caused by enemy attack, sabotage, or other hostile
action, or by fire, flood, earthquake, or other natural causes. These
functions include, without limitation, fire fighting services, medical
and health services, rescue, engineering, air raid warning services,
communications, radiological, chemical, and other special weapons
defense, evacuation of persons from stricken areas, emergency welfare
services (civilian war aid), emergency transportation, existing or
properly assigned functions of plant protection, temporary restoration
of public utility services, and other functions related to civilian
protection; together with all other activities necessary or incidental
to the preparation for and carrying out of the foregoing functions.
The Mayor of the City shall be responsible for and have general
direction and control of the emergency services of this City. In addition
to the powers and duties the Mayor now has, he shall have such additional
powers granted and conferred by this chapter not inconsistent with
other ordinances of this City.
The Mayor, with the consent of the City Council, is hereby authorized
to appoint a Director of Emergency Services, who shall perform such
duties as are imposed upon him by this chapter, and as are delegated
to him by the Mayor when not contrary to other ordinances of this
City.
The Director shall coordinate the activities of all organizations
for emergency services within this City and shall maintain liaison
with and cooperate with the emergency services agencies and organizations
within the state and with the state government.
There is hereby created an emergency services Advisory Council
consisting of four citizens, appointed by the Mayor and confirmed
by the City Council who shall advise the Mayor and the Director on
all matters pertaining to emergency services. The Mayor shall serve
as chairman of the Council and the members thereof shall serve without
compensation.
In carrying out the provisions of this chapter, the Mayor is
directed to utilize the services, equipment, supplies and facilities
of existing departments, offices, and agencies of the City, to the
maximum extent practicable, and the officers and personnel of all
such departments, offices, and agencies are directed to cooperate
with and extend such services and facilities to the Mayor, and to
the emergency services organizations of the City upon request.
No organization for emergency services established under the
authority of this chapter shall participate in any form of political
activity, nor shall it be employed directly or indirectly for political
purposes.
No person shall be employed or associated in any capacity in
the emergency services organization of this City established under
this chapter who advocates or has advocated a change by force or violence
in the constitutional form of the government of the United States
or of this state, or in this City or the overthrow of any government
in the United States by force or violence, or who has been convicted
of or is under indictment or information charging any subversive act
against the United States. Each person who is appointed to serve in
this organization for emergency services shall, before entering upon
his duties, take an oath, in writing before a person authorized to
administer oaths in the state which oath shall be substantially as
follows:
"I, __________, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support
and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution
of the State of Arkansas against all enemies, foreign and domestic;
that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and I take
this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose
of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties
upon which I am about to enter. And I do further swear (or affirm)
that I do not advocate, nor am I a member of any political party or
organization that advocates the overthrow of the government of the
United States or of this state by force or violence; and that during
such time as I am a member of the emergency services agency of the
City, I will not advocate nor become a member of any political party
or organization that advocates the overthrow of the Government of
the United States or of this State by force or violence.