If a disaster occurs, the emergency management director and the city emergency coordinator shall be immediately notified. A state of emergency may be declared by the emergency management director upon the occurrence or imminent threat of widespread or severe damage, injury, or loss of life or property resulting from any natural or manmade cause, including fire, flood, earthquake, wind, storm, water contamination, epidemic, air contamination, blight, drought, infestation, explosion, riot, hostile military or paramilitary action, other public calamity requiring emergency action, or energy emergency. Upon declaration of a state of emergency, the director shall authorize the city emergency coordinator to put into effect the plan for handling such an emergency. A state of emergency may not be continued or renewed for a period in excess of seven days except by or with the consent of the city council. Any order or proclamation declaring, continuing or terminating a state of emergency shall be given prompt and general publicity and shall be filed promptly in the office of the City Clerk.
(1966 Code, sec. 10-3; 2001 Code, sec. 30-31)