Town of Portsmouth, RI Chapter 15 Emergency Management

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Council of the Town of Portsmouth 11-28-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-11-28. Amendments noted where applicable.]

§ 15-1 Emergency Management Agency.

A. In accordance with R.I.G.L. § 30-15-1 et seq., the Portsmouth Town Council hereby establishes a Town of Portsmouth Emergency Management Agency, headed by an Emergency Management Director who shall be appointed by, and serve at the pleasure of, the Portsmouth Town Council. The purpose of the Agency is to plan and coordinate the Town's response to any occurrence or imminent threat of widespread or severe damage, injury, loss of property, or loss of life, whether caused by persons or resulting from acts of nature, including but not limited to fire, flood, earthquake, wind, storm, wave action, oil spill or other water contamination requiring emergency action to avert danger or damage, epidemic, air contamination, blight, drought, infestation, explosion, riot, hostile military or paramilitary action, or an act of bioterrorism or endangerment of the health, safety and resources of the people of the Town.

B. The Agency shall have powers and duties within the Town of Portsmouth similar to those of the statewide disaster agency. The Agency shall cooperate with and assist the State Emergency Management Agency and shall perform such services as may be requested by it. The Agency may act jointly with other local emergency management agencies.

§ 15-2 Powers and duties of Council President.

The Town Council President of the Town of Portsmouth has powers and duties with respect to emergency management within the Town similar to those of the Governor on the state level, not inconsistent with other provisions of law.

§ 15-3 Declaration of local disaster emergency.

A. A local disaster emergency may be declared only by the Town Council President of the Town of Portsmouth. It shall not be continued or renewed for a period in excess of seven days, except by or with the consent of the Town Council of the Town of Portsmouth. Any order or proclamation declaring, continuing, or terminating a local disaster emergency shall be given prompt and general publicity and shall be filed promptly with the Town Clerk. Should the Town Council President be unable to perform the declaration of disaster duties, those duties will fall in order of precedence to the Town officials described in the Town’s Emergency Operations Plan approved by the Town Council, under the plan’s section titled Duties of the Town’s Chief Executive Officer.

[Amended 1-13-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-01-13]

B. The effect of a declaration of a local disaster emergency is to activate the mitigation response and recovery aspects of any and all applicable local disaster emergency plans and to authorize the furnishing of aid and assistance thereunder.