[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough
of Blawnox 7-20-1987 by Ord. No.
442. Amendments noted where applicable.]
This chapter shall be known as the "Emergency Management Ordinance
of the Borough of Blawnox."
A.
An emergency management organization is hereby established in accordance
with the plans and programs of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management
Agency, as authorized by the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Services
Code, Act of 1978, November 26, P.L. 1332, No. 323, Section 1, at
35 Pa.C.S.A. § 7101 et seq.
B.
The Borough Council of Blawnox hereby authorizes the adoption of
an emergency operations plan, a copy of which is attached hereto and
incorporated as a part of this chapter. Such action is taken pursuant
to the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Services Code, as cited above.
The following words and phrases when used herein shall have,
unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the meanings given
to them in this section.
The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.
Those conditions which may, by investigation made, be found
actually or likely to:
Affect seriously the safety, health or welfare of a substantial
number of citizens of this Borough or preclude the operation or use
of essential public facilities;
Being of such magnitude or severity as to render essential state
supplementation of county and local efforts or resources exerted or
utilized in alleviating the danger, damage, suffering or hardship
faced; and
Have been caused by forces beyond the control of man, by reason
of civil disorder, riot or disturbance, or by factors not foreseen
and not known to exist when appropriate bills were enacted.
The judicious planning, assignment and coordination of all
available resources in an integrated program of prevention, mitigation,
preparedness, response and recovery for emergencies of any kind, whether
from attack, man-made or natural sources.
The preparation for and the carrying out of functions, other
than functions for which military forces are primarily responsible,
to prevent, minimize and provide emergency repair of injury and damage
resulting from disasters, together with all other activities necessary
or incidental to the preparation for and carrying out of those functions.
The functions include, without limitation, firefighting services,
police services, medical and health services, rescue, engineering,
disaster warning services, communications, radiological, shelter,
chemical and other special weapons defense, evacuation of persons
from stricken areas, emergency welfare services, emergency transportation,
emergency resources management, existing or properly assigned functions
of plant protection, temporary restoration of public utility services
and other functions related to civilian protection.
The Borough Council of Blawnox hereby authorizes the Mayor of
the Borough to declare a local disaster/emergency subject to ratification
by the Council. Such a disaster/emergency shall be declared upon finding
that a disaster has occurred or is imminent. The declaration shall
not be continued or renewed for a period in excess of seven days except
with the consent of Council. 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
Agency.
The Borough, through its Mayor and Borough Council, may exercise
the powers vested under this chapter in light of the exigencies of
the emergency situation 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 material,
the levying of taxes and the appropriation and expenditure of public
funds.
The Borough Council, by and through the emergency operations
staff, shall:
A.
Prepare, maintain and keep current a disaster emergency management
plan for the prevention and minimization of injury and damage caused
by disaster and for prompt and effective response to disaster and
disaster emergency relief and recovery in consonance with the Pennsylvania
Emergency Management Plan.
B.
Establish, equip and staff an emergency operations center, consolidated
with warning communication systems to support government operations
in emergencies and provide other essential facilities and equipment
for agencies and activities assigned emergency functions.
C.
Provide individual and organizational training programs to insure
prompt, efficient and effective disaster emergency services.
D.
Organize, prepare and coordinate all locally available manpower,
materials, supplies, equipment, facilities and services necessary
for disaster emergency readiness, response and recovery.
E.
Adopt and implement precautionary measures to mitigate the anticipated
effects of disaster.
F.
Execute and enforce such rules and orders as the Agency shall adopt
and promulgate.
G.
Cooperate and coordinate with any public and private agency or entity
in achieving any purpose of this chapter.
H.
Have available for inspection at its emergency operations center
all available emergency management plans, rules and orders of the
Governor and the Agency.
I.
Provide prompt and accurate information regarding local disaster
emergencies to appropriate commonwealth and local officials and agencies
and the general public.
Planning, administration and operation of the emergency operations
will be provided by the Local Coordinator, subject to the direction
and control of the Mayor and Borough Council. The Coordinator shall
be appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the Mayor
or Borough Council.
The Local Emergency Management Coordinator shall:
A.
Plan for and conduct emergency operations as directed by the Mayor
and Borough Council, pursuant to the emergency operations plan of
the Borough of Blawnox which has been incorporated as a part of this
chapter.
B.
Ensure that emergency plans that are planned or implemented are in
conformity with the Borough of Blawnox emergency operations plan.
C.
Ensure that communications (telephone and radio) are established.
D.
Promptly notify the Mayor and members of Borough Council of any information
regarding local disaster/emergencies.
E.
Open and staff the emergency operations center.
The provisions of this chapter are meant to comply with the
Pennsylvania Emergency Management Services Code, 35 Pa.C.S.A. § 7101
et seq., and most particularly 35 Pa.C.S.A. §§ 7501
to 7504.
Should any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of
this chapter be declared invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction,
such decision shall not affect the validity of the chapter in its
entirety or of any part thereof other than that declared to be invalid.
Any ordinance or resolution, or part of any ordinance or resolution,
which is inconsistent with this chapter is hereby repealed.
