(A) 
There is hereby established an office of Emergency Management Director of the city which office shall be held by the Mayor in accordance with state law.
(1) 
An Emergency Management Coordinator may be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Director.
(2) 
The Director shall be responsible for establishing a program of comprehensive emergency management within the city and for carrying out the duties and responsibilities set forth in this chapter. The Director may delegate authority for execution of these duties to the Coordinator, but ultimate responsibility for such execution shall remain with the Director.
(3) 
The operational Emergency Management organization of the city shall consist of the officers and employees of the city so designated by the Director in the city’s emergency management plan, as well as organized volunteer groups. The functions and duties of this organization shall be distributed among such officers, employees and volunteer groups in accordance with the terms the city’s emergency management plan.
(B) 
The duties and responsibilities of the Emergency Management Director shall include the following:
(1) 
Conduct an on-going survey of actual or potential hazards which threaten life and property within the city and an on-going program of identifying and requiring or recommending the implementation of measures which would tend to prevent the occurrence or reduce the impact of such hazards if a disaster did occur.
(2) 
Supervision of the development and approval of an emergency management plan for the city, and recommending, or adoption by the City Council, all mutual aid arrangements deemed necessary for the implementation of such plan.
(3) 
Authority to declare a local state of disaster. Such a declaration may not be continued or renewed for a period in excess of seven days except with the consent of the City Council. Any order or proclamation declaring, continuing, or terminating a local state of disaster shall be given prompt and general publicity and shall be filed promptly with the City Secretary.
(4) 
Issuance of proclamations, regulations, or directives which are necessary for carrying out the purposes of this chapter. Such proclamations, regulations, or directives shall be disseminated promptly by means calculated to bring their content to the attention of the general public and, unless circumstances related to a disaster prevent or impede such action, promptly filed with the City Secretary.
(5) 
Direction and control of the operations of the emergency management organization, as well as of the training of emergency management personnel.
(6) 
Determination of all questions of authority and responsibility that may arise within the emergency management organization of the city.
(7) 
Maintenance of communications with other municipal, county, district, state, regional or federal emergency management organizations.
(8) 
Marshaling of all personnel, equipment, or supplies from any department of the city which may be necessary to aid in the implementation of the provisions of the city’s emergency management plan.
(9) 
Supervision of the drafting and execution of mutual aid agreements, in cooperation with the representatives of the state and of other local political subdivisions of the state, and of the drafting and execution, if deemed desirable, of an agreement with the county in which the city is located and with other municipalities within the county, for county-wide coordination of emergency management efforts.
(10) 
Supervision of, and final authorization for the procurement of, all necessary supplies and equipment, including acceptance of private contributions which may be offered for the purpose of improving emergency management within the city.
(11) 
Authorizing agreements, after approval by the City Attorney, for use of private property for public shelter and other purposes.
(12) 
Determining the availability of existing personnel, equipment, supplies, and services which could be used during a disaster, as provided herein.
(13) 
Other duties and responsibilities as specified in the Texas Disaster Act of 1975, Tex. Gov’t Code Chapter 418.
(Ordinance 410-94-12-14, passed 12-13-94)
A comprehensive emergency management plan shall be developed and maintained by the city. The plan shall set forth the form of organization; establish and designate divisions and functions; assign responsibilities, tasks, duties, and powers; and designate officers and employees to carry out the provisions of this chapter. As provided by state law, the plan shall follow the standards and criteria established by the State Division of Emergency Management of the State of Texas. Insofar as possible, the form of organization, titles, and terminology shall conform to the recommendations of the State Division of Emergency Management. When such plan is approved, it shall be the duty of all city departments and agencies to perform the functions assigned by the plan and to maintain their portion of the plan in a current state of readiness at all times. The city’s emergency management plan shall be considered supplementary to this chapter and have the effect of law during the time of a disaster.
(Ordinance 410-94-12-14, passed 12-13-94)
The Mayor is hereby authorized to join with the County Judge of the County of Travis and the mayors of the other cities in the county in the formation of an interjurisdictional emergency management program for the County of Travis, and to cooperate in the preparation of an interjurisdictional emergency management plan and in the appointment of a joint Emergency Management Coordinator. The Mayor is further granted such powers as may be necessary for the city to participate in a county-wide program of emergency management insofar as the program may affect the city.
(Ordinance 410-94-12-14, passed 12-13-94)
At all times when the orders, rules, and regulations made and promulgated under this chapter shall be in effect, they shall supersede and override all existing ordinances, orders, rules, and regulations insofar as the latter may be inconsistent therewith.
(Ordinance 410-94-12-14, passed 12-13-94)
This chapter is an exercise by the city of its governmental functions for the protection of the public peace, health, and safety and neither the city, the agents and representatives of the city, nor any individual, receiver, firm, partnership, corporation, association, or trustee, nor any of the agents thereof, in good faith carrying out, complying with or attempting to comply with, any order, rule, or regulation promulgated pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall be liable for any damage sustained to persons as the result of said activity. Any person owning or controlling real estate or other premises who voluntarily and without compensations grants to the city a license of privilege, or otherwise permits the city to inspect, designate, and use the whole or any part of such real estate or premises for the purpose of sheltering persons during an actual, impending, or practice enemy attack or natural or man-made disaster shall, together with his successors in interest, if any, not be civilly liable for the death of, or injury to, any person on or about such real estate or premises under such license, privilege or other permission or for loss of, or damage to, the property of such person.
(Ordinance 410-94-12-14, passed 12-13-94)
No person shall have the right to expend any public funds of the city in carrying out any emergency management activity authorized by this chapter without prior approval by the City Council, nor shall any person have any right to bind the city by contract, agreement, or otherwise without prior and specific approval of the City Council unless during a declared disaster. During a declared disaster, the Mayor may expend and/or commit public funds of the city when deemed prudent and necessary for the protection of health, life, or property.
(Ordinance 410-94-12-14, passed 12-13-94)
(A) 
It shall be unlawful for any person willfully to obstruct, hinder, or delay any member of the emergency management organization in the enforcement of any rule or regulation issued pursuant to this chapter.
(B) 
It shall likewise be unlawful for any person to wear, carry, or display any emblem, insignia, or any other means of identification as a member of the emergency management organization of the city unless authority to do so has been granted to such person by the proper officials.
(C) 
Any unauthorized person who shall operate a siren or other device so as to simulate a warning signal, or the termination of a warning, shall be deemed guilty of a violation of this chapter and shall be subject to the penalties imposed by this chapter.
(Ordinance 410-94-12, passed 12-13-94; Am. Ordinance 796-05-09-27, passed 9-27-05)