[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners of the Township of Whitehall 6-9-2014 by Ord. No. 2970. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Police force — See Ch. 1, Part 9.
Fire prevention and fire protection — See Ch. 7.
Health and safety — See Ch. 10.
A local emergency management agency is hereby established, and the Bureau shall be known as the "Whitehall Township Emergency Management Agency."
The Whitehall 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 Whitehall Township Emergency Management Agency shall have the responsibility for emergency management and disaster response and recovery within the Township. The Whitehall Township Emergency Management Agency shall also provide emergency management and disaster response and recovery services outside the Township as required by the terms and conditions of this chapter.
A. 
The Mayor will declare a local emergency declaration with approval by a majority of the Board of Commissioners in any case of a declaration by the Mayor or any of the following successors. In the event of the Mayor's absence, the following order will be followed: Deputy Mayor, Police Chief, Fire Chief, Emergency Management Coordinator, Bureau Chief of Public Works, Board of Commissioners President, Vice President, Secretary of BOC, and remaining commissioners in descending order of their ages.
B. 
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 Commissioners.
C. 
Any order or proclamation declaring, continuing or terminating 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.
D. 
Upon declaration of a local disaster emergency, the applicable response and recovery aspects of the Whitehall Township local emergency management plan shall be activated, and all provision for aid and assistance thereunder shall be authorized.
A. 
The Whitehall 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 Mayor and Township Board of Commissioners.
B. 
The coordinator of the Whitehall Township Emergency Management Agency shall be appointed by the Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania upon recommendation of the Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners. The Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners may, upon agreement by resolution with adjoining municipalities, recommend to the Governor a candidate for coordinator for emergency management activities in said political subdivisions. The Whitehall Township emergency management coordinator shall serve at the pleasure of the Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners.
C. 
The coordinator of the Whitehall 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.
D. 
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 the Whitehall Township Emergency Management Agency.
E. 
Responsibility for the professional in-service training of the coordinator of the Whitehall Township Emergency Management Agency shall rest with the Emergency Management Coordinator of Lehigh County.
F. 
The Township of Whitehall will reimburse its coordinator for actual expenses incurred as the result of his or her attendance at scheduled meetings and training programs.
The Whitehall Township Emergency Management Agency is hereby directed to:
A. 
Prepare, maintain and keep current a disaster emergency plan for the 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 the Lehigh County Emergency Management Plan.
B. 
Establish, equip and staff an emergency operations center for the Township.
C. 
Establish a warning and communications system for the 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. 
If necessary and required, 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 Whitehall Township Emergency Management Agency may adopt pursuant to the provision for 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 at 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 the Township on the status and programs of the Whitehall 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 the 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 the Township that are particularly vulnerable to disaster.
P. 
Upon request of the Board of Commissioners or Mayor, assist the Township and/or its police, fire, rescue or emergency medical services in handling and coordinating special, nondisaster emergencies and situations.
A. 
The Coordinator of the Township Emergency Management Agency may develop and maintain mutual aid agreements with adjacent political subdivisions for reciprocal emergency assistance. The agreements shall be consistent with the plans and programs of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and the Lehigh County Emergency Management Agency.
B. 
The agreements 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 one political subdivision within Lehigh 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, request 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 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:
(1) 
All expenditures of the Whitehall Township Emergency Management Agency must be approved, in advance, by the Board of Commissioners.
(2) 
The Board of Commissioners must approve attendance and participation of personnel of the Emergency Management Agency at training sessions, seminars and meetings.
(3) 
The Township Emergency Management Plan must be reviewed and approved by the Board of Commissioners.
B. 
All mutual aid agreements (209) shall be ratified by the Board of Commissioners and by the governing bodies of the other affected municipalities prior to implementation.
Any gifts or grants of monies made to the Township Emergency Management Agency or to the Township for the payment of expenses incurred or to be incurred by or for the Emergency Management Agency shall be deposited in the treasury of the Township and shall be appropriated only for the purpose for which the gifts or grants were made.
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as prohibiting the Township Emergency Management Agency 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 impact the delivery of emergency management services.
The Township Emergency Management Agency shall, with the approval of the Board of Commissioners, 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 Services Code of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Act 1978-323 (Pi. 1332),[1] shall govern the emergency management activities of the Township and the Whitehall Township Emergency Management Agency except in circumstances where the 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.