[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners
of the Township of Whitehall 6-9-2014 by Ord. No. 2970. Amendments noted where applicable.]
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.
