The declared purposes of this chapter are to provide for the preparation and carrying out of plans for the protection of persons and property within this county in the event of an emergency, the direction of the emergency organization, and the coordination of the emergency functions of this county with all other public agencies, corporations, organizations and affected private persons.
(Ord. 215 § 1, 1972)
As used in this chapter, "emergency" means the actual or threatened existence of conditions of disaster or of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property within this county caused by such conditions as air pollution, fire, flood, storm, epidemic, riot or earthquake, or other conditions including conditions resulting from war to imminent threat of war, but other than conditions resulting from a labor controversy, which conditions are or are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment and facilities of this county, requiring the combined forces of other political subdivisions to combat.
(Ord. 215 § 2, 1972)
The Inyo County disaster council is created and shall consist of the following:
A. 
The chairman of the board of supervisors, who shall be chairman;
B. 
The director of emergency services shall be the county administrator;
C. 
Such chiefs of emergency services as are provided for in a current emergency plan of this county, adopted pursuant to this chapter;
D. 
Such representatives of civic, business, labor, veterans', professional or other organizations having an official emergency responsibility, as may be appointed by the board of supervisors.
(Ord. 215 § 3, 1972)
It shall be the duty of the Inyo County disaster council, and it is empowered to develop and recommend for adoption by the board of supervisors, emergency and mutual aid plans and agreements and such ordinances and resolutions and rules and regulations as are necessary to implement such plans and agreements. The disaster council shall meet upon call of the chairman, or, in his absence from the county or inability to call such meeting, upon call of the vice-chairman.
(Ord. 215 § 4, 1972)
A. 
There is created the office of director of emergency services. The county administrator shall be the director of emergency services.
B. 
There is created the office of coordinator of disaster services, who shall be appointed by the board of supervisors.
(Ord. 215 § 5, 1972)
A. 
The director is empowered to:
1. 
Request the board of supervisors to proclaim the existence or threatened existence of a "local emergency" if the board of supervisors is in session, or to issue such proclamation if the board of supervisors is not in session. Whenever a local emergency is proclaimed by the director, the board of supervisors shall take action to ratify the proclamation within seven days thereafter or the proclamation shall have no further force or effect;
2. 
Recommend that the chairman of the board of supervisors request the Governor to proclaim a "state of emergency" when, in the opinion of the director, the locally available resources are inadequate to cope with the emergency;
3. 
Control and direct the effort of the emergency organization of this county for the accomplishment of the purposes of this chapter;
4. 
Direct cooperation between and coordination of services and staff of the emergency organization of this county, and resolve questions of authority and responsibility that may arise between them;
5. 
Represent this county in all dealings with public or private agencies on matters pertaining to emergencies as defined in Section 2.56.020;
6. 
In the event of the proclamation of a "local emergency" as herein provided, the proclamation of a "state of emergency" by the Governor or the Director of the State Office of Emergency Services, or the existence of a "state of war emergency," the director is empowered:
a. 
To make and issue rules and regulations on matters reasonably related to the protection of life and property as affected by such emergency; provided, however, such rules and regulations must be confirmed at the earliest practicable time by the board of supervisors,
b. 
To obtain vital supplies, equipment, and such other properties found lacking and needed for the protection of life and property and to bind the county for the fair value thereof and, if required immediately, to commandeer the same for public use,
c. 
To require emergency services for any county officer or employee and, in the event of the proclamation of a "state of emergency" in the county or the existence of a "state of war emergency," to command the aid of as many citizens of this county as he deems necessary in the execution of his duties. Such persons shall be entitled to all privileges, benefits and immunities as are provided by state law for registered disaster service workers,
d. 
To requisition necessary personnel or material of any county department or agency, and
e. 
To execute all of his ordinary power as administrator, all of the special powers conferred upon him by this chapter or by resolution or emergency plan pursuant hereto adopted by the board of supervisors, all powers conferred upon him by any statute, by any agreement approved by the board of supervisors, and by any other lawful authority.
B. 
The director of emergency services shall designate the order of succession to that office, to take effect in the event the director is unavailable to attend meetings and otherwise perform his duties during an emergency. Such order of succession shall be approved by the board of supervisors.
C. 
The coordinator of disaster services shall, under the supervision of the director and with the assistance of emergency service chiefs, develop emergency plans and manage the emergency programs of this county; and shall have such other powers and duties as may be assigned by the director.
(Ord. 215 § 6, 1972)
All officers and employees of this county, together with those volunteer forces enrolled to aid them during an emergency, and all groups, organizations and persons who may, by agreement or operation of law, including persons impressed into service under the provisions of Section 2.56.060 A.6.c, be charged with duties incident to the protection of life and property in this county during such emergency, shall constitute the emergency organization of the county.
(Ord. 215 § 7, 1972)
The Inyo County disaster council shall be responsible for the development of the county emergency plan, which plan shall provide for the effective mobilization of all of the resources of this county, both public and private, to meet any condition constituting a local emergency, state of emergency or state of war emergency; and shall provide for the organization, powers and duties, services and staff of the emergency organization. Such plan shall take effect upon adoption by resolution of the board of supervisors.
(Ord. 215 § 8, 1972)
Any expenditures made in connection with emergency activities, including mutual aid activities, shall be deemed conclusively to be for the direct protection and benefit of the inhabitants and property of the county.
(Ord. 215 § 9, 1972)
It is a misdemeanor, punishable as provided in Section 1.20.010, for any person, during a state of war emergency, state of emergency, or local emergency, to:
A. 
Wilfully obstruct, hinder or delay any member of the emergency organization in the enforcement of any lawful rule or regulation issued pursuant to this chapter, or in the performance of any duty imposed upon him by virtue of this chapter;
B. 
Do any act forbidden by any lawful rule or regulation issued pursuant to this chapter, if such act is of such a nature as to give or be likely to give assistance to the enemy, or to imperil the lives or property of inhabitants of this county, or to prevent, hinder or delay the defense or protection thereof;
C. 
Wear, carry or display, without authority, any means of identification specified by the emergency agency of the state.
(Ord. 215 § 10, 1972)