There is hereby created for the Borough of Hasbrouck
Heights an Office of Emergency Management as hereinafter defined and
as mandated by the Federal Civil Defense Act of 1950 and by the New
Jersey Civil Defense Act (N.J.S.A. App.A:9-33).
The primary responsibility and authority for
the Office of Emergency Management shall be charged to the Emergency
Management Coordinator. The Emergency Management Coordinator shall
be appointed by the Mayor and shall at all times be a resident of
the Borough. Subject to fulfilling the requirements of this section,
the Emergency Management Coordinator shall serve for a term of three
years. As a condition of such appointment and of the right to continue
to hold office, the Emergency Management Coordinator shall have successfully
completed at the time of his or her appointment, or within one year
immediately following such appointment, the current, approved educational
course mandated by the State of New Jersey for such position. The
failure of the Emergency Management Coordinator to fulfill such educational
requirements within the time period prescribed shall disqualify the
Coordinator from continuing in office and shall create a vacancy in
said position.
The Emergency Management Coordinator shall have
the following duties and responsibilities:
A. Actual emergency situations. Whenever, in his or her
opinion, a disaster has occurred or is imminent within the Borough,
the Emergency Management Coordinator shall proclaim a state of local
disaster emergency and, in accordance with regulations promulgated
by the State Civilian Defense Director or his successor, shall be
empowered to issue and enforce such orders as may be necessary to
implement and carry out disaster control operations and to protect
the health, safety and resources of the residents of the Borough.
B. Nonemergencies. In circumstances not constituting
an emergency, the Emergency Management Coordinator shall be responsible
for the planning, activating, coordinating and conduct of emergency
management and disaster-control operations within the Borough. In
order to redevelop readiness for operations in emergencies, the Emergency
Management Coordinator shall, within budgetary limitations, have the
duty and authority to do the following:
(1) Develop an Emergency Operating Center (EOC) facility,
a protected site from which key local officials control operations.
(2) Develop EOC staffing internal procedures to permit
key local officials to conduct coordinated operations in emergencies.
(3) Conduct tests and exercises to give key local officials
practice in directing coordinated operations under simulated emergency
conditions.
(4) Provide knowledge and advice to operating departments
on the special conditions and operating requirements that would be
imposed by peacetime or attack disasters.
(5) Develop local government emergency operations plans
outlining which local forces and supporting groups would do what in
both peacetime and attack disasters and specifying local organization
for major emergencies.
(6) Establish a system to warn the public of peacetime
or attack disasters.
(7) Establish a system to alert key local officials.
(8) Organize a radiological monitoring and analysis system,
including procurement of instruments and training and exercising of
personnel.
(9) Coordinate and lead emergency communications planning,
secure necessary equipment and exercise emergency communications.
(10) Coordinate with doctors, hospitals and public and
private sector medical personnel to develop emergency medical plans
and capabilities as a part of local emergency plans.
(11) Establish and maintain a shelter system.
(12) Establish and exercise an emergency public information
system and train personnel to use it.
(13) Coordinate with welfare offices, the Red Cross and
other voluntary groups to develop emergency welfare capabilities to
care for people needing mass care as a result of peacetime or attack
disasters.
(14) Coordinate and maintain relationships with industry
to develop industrial emergency plans and capabilities in support
of local government emergency plans.
(15) Assist local operating departments (e.g., fire, police
and public works) with radiological defense and other training needs.
(16) Coordinate and participate in training programs for
public disaster preparedness.
(17) Assist in the establishment of mutual-aid agreements
to provide needed services, equipment or other resources in an emergency.
(18) Prepare, submit and justify the annual emergency management
budget.
(19) Secure matching funds and other assistance available
through the emergency management program and through other federal
programs (includes preparing annual program papers and other documents
required for federal assistance programs).
(20) Establish a mandatory protocol/directive for notification
by the police desk officer on specified occurrences.
There shall be appointed by the Mayor, upon
recommendation of the Emergency Management Coordinator, a Deputy Emergency
Management Coordinator. The Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator
shall, wherever possible, be appointed from among the salaried officers
or employees of the Borough and shall serve at the will and pleasure
of the appointing authority. The Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator
shall aid and assist the Emergency Management Coordinator in fulfilling
his or her duties and shall assume said duties in the absence or illness
of the Emergency Management Coordinator.
There shall be hereby created an Emergency Management
Council which shall be composed of not more than 15 members. Members
of the Emergency Council shall be appointed by the Mayor and shall
hold office at the will and pleasure of the appointing authority.
The Emergency Management Coordinator shall be a member and shall serve
as Chairman of the Emergency Management Council. The Emergency Management
Council shall assist the Borough in establishing the various local
volunteer agencies needed to meet the requirements of all local civilian
defense, disaster control and emergency management activities in accordance
with the rules and regulations established by the Governor pursuant
to the New Jersey Civil Defense Act. Within budgetary limitations, the Emergency Management
Council is authorized to establish an adequate organization to assist
in supervising and coordinating the civilian defense, disaster control
and emergency management activities within the Borough.
All persons named or appointed hereunder shall
serve without salary or compensation for the performance of duties
or services herein prescribed, except that this section shall not
be construed to deny to persons performing duties or services under
this chapter the benefits and privileges set forth in the New Jersey
Civil Defense Act.
Neither the Borough nor any person named or
appointed hereunder nor any volunteer in good faith carrying out,
complying with or attempting to comply with any order, rule or regulation
promulgated pursuant to the provisions of this chapter or performing
any authorized service in connection therewith shall be liable for
any injury or death to persons or damage to property as the result
of any such activity.