[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Atlantic Highlands as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Fire Department — See Ch. 24.
Police Department — See Ch. 50.
Fire prevention — See Ch. 178.
Flood damage prevention — See Ch. 183.
Stormwater control — See Ch. 306.
Stormwater management — See Ch. 311.
[Adopted 11-12-1985 by Ord. No. 863]
Because of the existing and increasing possibility of the occurrence of disasters of unprecedented size and destruction from fire, flood, hurricane, tropical storm or other natural or man-made causes, such as blackouts and power failures, aircraft accidents, chemical and radiological accidents, and in order to ensure that preparations of this Borough will be adequate to deal with such disasters and generally to provide for the common defense and to protect the public health and safety and to preserve the lives and property of the residents of this Borough, it is hereby found and declared to be necessary to:
A. 
Create the Office of Emergency Management.
B. 
Provide for the rendering of mutual aid to other municipalities within the State of New Jersey and adjoining states and to cooperate with the state government with respect to carrying out emergency functions.
C. 
Create and test an emergency operations plan for all divisions of Borough government in the event of one of the aforementioned disasters.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
It is further declared to be the purpose of this article and the policy of this Borough that all emergency functions of this Borough be coordinated to the maximum extent with the comparable functions of the state government, including its various departments and agencies, of other municipalities and private agencies of every type so that a comprehensive plan may make the best use of this Borough's manpower, resources and facilities in the event that a disaster does occur.
A. 
It is further declared to be the purpose of this article and the policy of this Borough to organize an emergency management organization, in conformity with the Civil Defense Act as directed by P.L. 1942, c. 251, as amended. The name of this organization shall be as follows: Office of Emergency Management, Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC).
B. 
There is hereby created a Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), which shall be composed of not more than 15 members who shall be appointed by the Mayor and shall hold office at the will and pleasure of the Mayor. The members of the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) shall be considered members of the Office of Emergency Management.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
A. 
The Office of Emergency Management shall be under the direct supervision of an Emergency Management Coordinator, who shall be appointed by the Mayor from among the residents of the Borough. The Emergency Management Coordinator shall serve as chairperson of the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC).[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
B. 
The Emergency Management Coordinator shall serve a term of three years, subject to fulfilling the requirements of N.J.S.A. App. A:9-40.1.
The Emergency Management Coordinator shall appoint Deputy Emergency Management Coordinators, with the approval of the Mayor. Whenever possible, such deputies shall be appointed from among the salaried officers or employees of the Borough. The Deputy Emergency Management Coordinators shall also be designated Deputy Municipal Disaster Control Directors pursuant to N.J.S.A. App. A:9-40.3.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
The Office of Emergency Management shall, under the direction of the Coordinator and Deputy Coordinators, test and implement the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and be prepared to activate it whenever necessary. The Emergency Management Coordinator shall coordinate activities of the various municipal departments, private businesses and agencies in the event of any of the aforementioned disasters.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
It shall be the responsibility of the Office of Emergency Management to carry out and enforce such orders, rules and regulations, as issued by the Mayor or the chain of command as outlined by the emergency management plan, under the authority of this article. The Office of Emergency Management shall have available for inspection all such orders and rules and regulations made by the Mayor or the chain of command or under their authority.
A. 
The Office of Emergency Management shall have a fully functional emergency operations center, which shall be ready to coordinate all Borough, county, state, federal and other agencies' functions in the event of a disaster. It shall also have an alternate operations center planned in the event that the first shall be damaged or unusable.
B. 
The primary Emergency Operations Center will be at Borough Hall, 100 First Avenue, Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey 07716. The alternate Emergency Operations Center will be located at Fire Headquarters, East Highland Avenue, Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey 07716.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
[Adopted 5-23-2007 by Ord. No. 09-2007]
This article shall be known and may be cited and referred to as "The National Incident Management System (NIMS) Ordinance for the Borough of Atlantic Highlands."
A. 
It is the intent and purpose of this article to formally recognize the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and adopt the principles and policies of the NIMS that will insure the complete and efficient utilization of all Borough of Atlantic Highlands resources to combat disaster resulting from enemy actions or other disasters as defined herein.
B. 
The purpose of the NIMS is to provide a consistent nationwide approach for federal, state, county, territorial, tribal, and local governments to work effectively and efficiently together to prepare for, prevent, respond to, and recover from domestic incidents, regardless of cause, size, or complexity.
C. 
The NIMS provides a common foundation for day-to-day operations, training and other preparedness efforts; communicating and sharing information with other responders and with the public, ordering resources to assist with a response effort, and for integrating new technologies and standards to support incident management.
The following definitions shall apply in the interpretation of this article:
COORDINATOR
The Coordinator of the Borough of Atlantic Highlands Office of Emergency Management, appointed as prescribed in this article.
DISASTER
Includes but is not limited to actual or threatened enemy attack, sabotage, extraordinary fire, flood, storm, epidemic, accident, chemical spill or other impending or actual calamity endangering or threatening to endanger health, life or property of constituted government.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
Refers to the basic government functions of maintaining the public peace, health and safety during an emergency. This term includes plans and preparations for protection and relief, recovery and rehabilitation from effects of an attack by the forces of an enemy nation or the agents thereof, or a disaster as defined herein. It does not, however, include any activity that is the primary responsibility of the military forces of the United States.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FORCES
The employees, equipment and facilities of all Borough departments, agencies, boards, councils, institutions and commissions; and in addition, it shall include all volunteer personnel, equipment and facilities contributed by, or obtained from, volunteer persons or agencies that are assigned the duties of responding to emergencies within Atlantic Highlands.
INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM (ICS)
The combination of facilities, equipment, personnel, procedures, and communications operating within a common organizational structure, designed to aid in domestic incident management activities.
NATIONAL INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (NIMS)
A document produced by the Department of Homeland Security under the direction of Presidential Directive-5 that strengthens response capabilities through a balance between flexibility and standardization, and use of common doctrine, terminology, concepts, principles, and processes.
NIMS INTEGRATION CENTER (NIC)
The federal agency established to provide strategic direction and oversight of the NIMS, supporting both routine maintenance and continuous refinement of the system and its components. NIC develops and facilitates national standards for the NIMS.
A. 
The Borough formally adopts NIMS as its system of response to a disaster and to provide a common foundation for training and other preparedness efforts, for communicating and sharing information with other responders and with the public, for ordering resources to assist with a response effort and for integrating new technologies and standards to support incident management.
B. 
The NIMS principles and policies are to be adhered to by all emergency management forces and across all functional disciplines within Atlantic Highlands.
C. 
Atlantic Highlands shall institutionalize the use of the ICS in order to enhance command, control and communications capabilities.
A. 
The Atlantic Highlands Emergency Management Coordinator shall serve as the Coordinator of NIMS operations pursuant to this article.
B. 
The Coordinator shall have the following duties and responsibilities:
(1) 
To consult with other agencies, municipalities, and affected organizations in Atlantic Highlands to recommend levels of NIMS training. However, it shall be the responsibility of each agency to implement said training and to ensure its own commitment to NIMS.
(2) 
To oversee Atlantic Highlands commitment to NIMS through planning, training, and implementation.
It shall be a misdemeanor for any person to violate any of the provisions of this article or plans issued pursuant to the authority contained herein, or to willfully obstruct, hinder or delay any member of the Emergency Management organization as herein defined in the enforcement of the provisions of this article or any plan issued hereunder.
The municipal organizations listed below are hereby directed to provide in their bylaws for the implementation during a disaster of the National Incident Management System, including all forms and conditions specified therein.
A. 
Atlantic Highlands Fire Department.
B. 
Atlantic Highlands First Aid and Safety Squad.
C. 
Atlantic Highlands Office of Emergency Management.
D. 
Atlantic Highlands Police Department.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).