[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township
of Coolbaugh 5-21-1992 by Ord. No. 77 (Ch. 1, Part 5, of the
1999 Code of Ordinances). Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Emergency responses — See Ch. 185.
A local emergency management agency is hereby established and
shall be known as the "Coolbaugh Township Emergency Management Agency."
The Coolbaugh Township Emergency Management Agency is established
pursuant to the provisions of the Emergency Management Services Code,
35 Pa.C.S.A. § 7501 et seq.
The Coolbaugh Township Emergency Management Agency shall have
the responsibility for emergency management and disaster response
and recovery within Coolbaugh Township. The Coolbaugh Township Emergency
Management Agency shall also provide emergency management and disaster
response and recovery services outside Coolbaugh Township as required
by the terms and conditions of this chapter.
A.
A local disaster emergency may be declared by the Board of Supervisors
of Coolbaugh Township. In addition, the local coordinator is hereby
authorized to declare a local disaster emergency subject to ratification
by the Board of Supervisors within seven days of such declaration.
B.
A local disaster emergency may only be declared upon finding by the
Board of Supervisors or local coordinator that a disaster has occurred
or is imminent.
C.
The declaration of a local disaster emergency shall not be continued
or renewed for a period in excess of seven days unless approved by
the Board of Supervisors.
D.
Any order or proclamation declaring, continuing or termination a
local disaster emergency shall be given prompt and general publicity,
and a copy of any such order or proclamation shall be filed promptly
with the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.
E.
Upon declaration of a local disaster emergency, the applicable response
and recovery aspects of Coolbaugh Township local emergency management
plan shall be activated, and all provisions for aid and assistance
thereunder shall be authorized.
Upon declaration of a disaster emergency, Coolbaugh Township,
pursuant to § 7301(c) of the Emergency Management Services
Code, shall be authorized to exercise the powers granted in the Part
without regard to time consuming procedures and formalities prescribed
by law (excepting mandatory constitutional requirements) pertaining
to the performance of public work, entering into contracts, the incurring
of obligations, the employment of temporary workers, the rental of
equipment, the purchase of supplies and materials, the levying of
taxes and the appropriation and expenditure of public funds. In addition,
upon the declaration of a disaster emergency, Coolbaugh Township is
authorized to avail itself of the provisions of Act of August 5, 1941
(P.L. 752, No. 286), known as the "Civil Service Act," in connection
with the employment of personnel in local organizations established
pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.
A.
The Coolbaugh Township Emergency Management Agency shall have a Coordinator
who shall be responsible for the planning, administration and operation
of the agency subject to the direction and control of the Board of
Supervisors.
B.
The Coordinator of the Coolbaugh Township Emergency Management Agency
shall be appointed by the Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
upon recommendation of the Board of Supervisors. The Board of Supervisors
may, upon agreement of resolution with adjoining municipalities, recommend
to the Governor a candidate for coordinator for emergency management
activities in the said political subdivisions. The Coolbaugh Township
Emergency Management Coordinator shall serve at the pleasure of the
Board of Supervisors.
C.
The Coordinator of the Coolbaugh Township Emergency Management Agency
shall:
(1)
Be professionally competent and capable of planning, effecting and
coordinating operations among agencies of government and controlling
coordinated operations by local emergency preparedness forces.
(2)
Attend and successfully complete the first phase of the career development
program as prescribed by the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency
within one year after appointment.
(3)
Attend and successfully complete the second phase of the career development
program as prescribed by the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency
within three years after appointment.
(4)
Attend basic and advanced seminars, workshops and training conferences
called by the Director of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency
and/or its Director of Training and Education.
(5)
Failure to attend and successfully complete the career development
program phases, as described above, or failure to attend a prescribed
training program for two consecutive years shall be cause for replacement
of the Coordinator of Coolbaugh Township Emergency Management Agency.
(6)
Responsibility for the professional in-service training of the Coordinator
of the Coolbaugh Township Emergency Management Agency shall rest with
the Emergency Management Coordinator of Monroe County.
D.
The Coolbaugh Township Board of Supervisors will reimburse its Coordinator
for actual expenses incurred as the result of his or her attendance
at scheduled meetings and training programs.
The Coolbaugh Township Emergency Management Agency is hereby
directed to:
A.
Prepare, maintain and keep current a disaster emergency plan for
Coolbaugh Township for the prevention and minimizing of injury and
damage caused by disaster, for prompt and effective response to disaster
and for disaster emergency relief and recovery in consonance with
the Pennsylvania emergency Management Plan and Monroe County Emergency
Management Plan.
B.
Establish, equip and staff an emergency operations center for Coolbaugh
Township.
C.
Establish a warning and communications system for Coolbaugh Township
that will support governmental operations in emergencies.
D.
Provide essential facilities and equipment to those agencies and
organizations that have been assigned emergency functions under the
provisions of this chapter.
E.
Provide individual and organizational training programs for police
officers, firefighters, rescue personnel, ambulance personnel, emergency
management volunteers and the general public to insure prompt, efficient
and effective disaster emergency services.
F.
Organize, prepare and coordinate all locally available manpower,
materials, supplies, equipment and facilities necessary for disaster
emergency readiness, response and recovery.
G.
Adopt and implement precautionary measures to mitigate the anticipated
effects of a disaster.
H.
Execute and enforce such rules, regulations and orders as the Coolbaugh
Township Emergency Management Agency may adopt pursuant to the provisions
of this chapter.
I.
Cooperate and coordinate with any public and private agencies or
entities in achieving any purpose of this chapter.
J.
Have available for inspection as its emergency operations center
all emergency management plans, rules, regulations and orders of the
Governor and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.
K.
Provide prompt and accurate information regarding local disaster
emergencies to appropriate Commonwealth and local officials and agencies
and the general public.
L.
Make monthly reports to Coolbaugh Township on the status and programs
of the Coolbaugh Township Emergency Management Agency, its personnel,
programs and plans.
M.
Execute and enforce such rules and orders as may be adopted by the
Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.
N.
Make timely recommendations to and secure the consent of Coolbaugh
Township concerning the development of plans, the acquisition of materials,
supplies and equipment, and the development of a budget for the agency,
except as provided for in disaster emergencies.
O.
Identify areas within Coolbaugh Township that are particularly vulnerable
to disaster.
P.
Upon request of the Coolbaugh Township Board of Supervisors or the
Chairman of the Board, assist the Board of Supervisors and/or its
police, fire, rescue or emergency medical services in handling and
coordinating special, nondisaster emergencies and situations.
A.
In support of the programs and activities of the Coolbaugh Township
Emergency Management Agency, the Board of Supervisors may appoint,
upon recommendation of the Emergency Management Coordinator, an Emergency
Management Advisory Council consisting of 12 members. Members of the
Emergency Management Advisory Council shall include member(s) of the
Board of Supervisors, the Chief of Police, Captain of the Ambulance
Association, the Chief of the Fire Department, a practicing physician
or nurse, a representative of the Chapter of the American Red Cross,
and four at-large residents of the community.
(1)
With exception of the at-large resident members, the members of the
Emergency Management Advisory Council shall serve continuously during
their term of public office except for physician or nurse, who shall
serve until replaced by the Board of Supervisors.
(2)
Upon initial appointment to the Emergency Management Advisory Council,
one at-large resident shall serve a term of one year, two shall serve
terms of two years, and one shall serve a term of three years. Thereafter,
at-large residents representatives shall be appointed for three-year
terms.
(3)
At-large resident members on the Emergency Management Advisory Council
shall serve no more than three consecutive terms.
(4)
Only designated members of the Emergency Management Advisory Council
may vote on matters before the Council.
B.
Coolbaugh Township Emergency Management Advisory Council shall:
(1)
Elect its own Chairman and other officers as the body may deem appropriate.
(2)
Provide recommendations and assistance to the Coordinator as deemed
appropriate concerning the plans, activities and role of the Coolbaugh
Township Emergency Management Agency.
(3)
Assist in the preparation and maintenance of Coolbaugh Township Disaster
Emergency Plan.
(4)
Recruit and assist in the training of emergency personnel and represent
the Coolbaugh Township Emergency Management Agency at training programs,
seminars and public meetings.
(5)
Provide whatever other aid or assistance that the Coordinator may
request.
The Coordinator of the Coolbaugh Township Emergency Management
Agency shall develop and maintain mutual aid agreements with adjacent
political subdivisions for reciprocal emergency assistance. The agreements
shall be consistent with the plans and program of the Pennsylvania
Emergency Management Agency and the Monroe County Emergency Management
Agency. The agreement shall stipulate that direction of emergency
disaster assistance is the responsibility of the lowest level of government
affected, that the county emergency management agency shall provide
coordination and support when more than political subdivision within
Monroe County is affected, and that the Pennsylvania Emergency Management
Agency or its area organization shall provide coordination and support
when two or more counties are affected. In disaster emergencies, requests
for mutual aid assistance shall be referred to the organization, as
outlined above, having responsibility for coordination and, in time
of emergency, it shall be the duty of the Coolbaugh Township Emergency
Management Agency to render assistance in accordance with these mutual
aid agreements. In all cases, support services provided from outside
the affected area shall remain under the command and control of the
receiving area.
A.
Except during local disaster emergencies, the Board of Supervisors
shall:
Any gift or grants of monies made to the Coolbaugh Township
Emergency Management Agency or to the Board of Supervisors for the
payment of expenses incurred or to be incurred by or for the Emergency
Management Agency shall be deposited in the treasury of Coolbaugh
Township and shall be appropriated only for the purpose for which
the gift or grants were made.
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as prohibiting the
Coolbaugh Township Emergency Management Agency or the Coolbaugh Township
Emergency Management Advisory Council from providing representation
to other boards or agencies, as outside emergency management advisory
boards, emergency health services councils, regional communications
committees that coordinate with or otherwise impacts the delivery
of emergency management services.
The Coolbaugh Township Emergency Management Agency shall, with
the approval of the Board of Supervisors, adopt such insignia and/or
other identifying marks or markings as are necessary to ensure the
correct, prompt identification of its personnel, equipment and facilities.
The provisions of the Emergency Management Service Code of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Act 1978-323, P.L. 1332,[1] shall govern the emergency management activities of Coolbaugh
Township and the Coolbaugh Emergency Management Agency and its Coolbaugh
Township Emergency Management Advisory Council except in circumstances
where Emergency Management Services Code does not address local provisions
or conditions provided for by this chapter.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 35 Pa.C.S.A. § 7501 et seq.
