[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of
Raccoon 6-13-1989 by Ord. No. 89-2. Amendments
noted where applicable.]
The following words and phrases when used in this chapter shall have,
unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the meanings given to them
in this section:
A man-made disaster, natural disaster or war-caused disaster.
The condition declared by the Township of Raccoon when in its judgment
the threat or actual occurrence of a disaster is or threatens to be of sufficient
severity and magnitude to warrant coordinated local government action to prevent
or alleviate the damage, loss, hardship or suffering threatened or caused
thereby.
Any industrial, nuclear or transportation accident, explosion, conflagration,
power failure, natural resource shortage or other condition, except enemy
action, resulting from man-made causes such as oil spills and other injurious
environmental contamination, which threatens or causes substantial damage
to property, human suffering, hardship or loss of life.
Any hurricane, tornado, storm, flood, high water, wind-driven water,
tidal wave, earthquake, landslide, mudslide, snowstorm, drought, fire, explosion
or other catastrophe which results in substantial damage to property, hardship,
suffering or possible loss of life.
Any condition following an attack upon the United States resulting
in substantial damage to property or injury to persons in the United States
caused by use of bombs, missiles, shell fire, nuclear, radiological, chemical
or biological means, or other weapons or over paramilitary actions or other
conditions such as sabotage.
The Township of Raccoon may by resolution establish the Raccoon Township
Emergency Management Organization in accordance with the plans and programs
of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency. The Raccoon Township Emergency
Management Organization shall have responsibility for emergency management,
response and recovery within the territorial limits of the Township of Raccoon
and in addition shall conduct such services outside of the Township of Raccoon
as may be required by Chapter 75 of 35 Pa.C.S.A.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See 35 Pa.C.S.A § 7501 et seq.
The Chairman of the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Raccoon,
or in his/her absence, the Vice-Chairman of the Township of Raccoon, is authorized
to declare a local disaster emergency; provided, however, that said declaration
of disaster emergency must be ratified by the full Board of Supervisors of
the Township of Raccoon within seven days of said declaration; otherwise,
said declaration of disaster emergency shall automatically terminate. Any
declaration of a disaster emergency can only be declared or ratified, as applicable,
upon finding a disaster had occurred or is imminent. Any declaration of disaster
emergency, or any continuation or termination thereof, shall be given prompt
and general publicity and shall be filed promptly with the Pennsylvania Emergency
Management Agency or any successor agency. The effect of a declaration of
a local disaster emergency is to activate the response and recovery aspects
of any and all applicable emergency management plans adopted by the Township
of Raccoon either by motion or resolution or otherwise and to authorize the
furnishing of aid and assistance thereunder.
Upon the request of the Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
or other Commonwealth official, the Board of Supervisors of the Township of
Raccoon shall recommend a coordinator for the Raccoon Township Emergency Management
Organization. Pursuant 35 Pa.C.S.A. § 7502(c) a local government
official may be recommended for appointment as coordinator.
Pursuant to authority contained in 35 Pa.C.S.A. § 7504(c)
the Township of Raccoon is hereby authorized to enter into mutual aid and
assistance agreements in order to respond to declarations of disaster emergency,
declared either within or without the Township of Raccoon, said mutual aid
and assistance agreements to be entered into with adjacent political subdivisions
within the County of Beaver and with the County of Beaver.
The Township of Raccoon by reference thereto incorporated by reference
all the authority and immunities conferred upon it by the Emergency Management
Services Code 35 Pa.C.S.A. § 7103 through § 7706 both
inclusive.
To the extent that any provision of this chapter might be deemed to be inconsistent with the Emergency Management Services Code of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, then the terms and provisions of the Emergency Management Services Code of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania shall supersede said chapter by virtue of the foregoing section of this chapter, being § 16-6.
