The purpose of this article is to provide standards
for the position of Municipal Emergency Management Coordinator.
The position of Municipal Emergency Management
Coordinator is based on provisions of public laws and directives which
carry the force of law.
A. New Jersey state law: New Jersey Statutes Annotated (N.J.S.A.) Appendix A:9-33 et seq. (Chapter
251, P.L. 1942, as amended by Chapter 438, P.L. 1953). These laws set forth responsibilities, obligations and authorities.
(1) Appointment of Municipal Emergency Management Coordinator.
The Mayor shall appoint a Municipal Emergency Management Coordinator
from among the residents of the municipality. The Municipal Emergency
Management Coordinator shall serve for a term of three years. As a
condition of appointment and the right to continue for the full term
of the appointment, the Coordinator shall successfully complete the
approved courses within one year of appointment. The Governor may
remove a Municipal Emergency Management Coordinator at any time for
cause.
(2) Duties of Municipal Emergency Management Coordinator.
(a) The Municipal Emergency Management Coordinator shall
be responsible for the planning, activating, coordinating and the
conduct of emergency management operations within the municipality.
(b) The Municipal Emergency Management Coordinator shall
be a member and shall serve as Chairman of the local Emergency Management
Council.
(c) Each Municipal Emergency Management Coordinator shall
appoint more than one Deputy Municipal Emergency Management Coordinator(s)
with the approval of the Mayor. Wherever possible, such Deputy(ies)
shall be appointed from among the salaried officers or employees of
the municipality.
B. New Jersey Office of Emergency Management Directive
#61, November 19, 1986, indicates:
(1) Wherever, in the opinion of the Municipal Emergency
Management Coordinator, a disaster has occurred or is imminent in
the municipality, the Municipal Emergency Management Coordinator shall
proclaim a state of local disaster emergency within the municipality.
(2) The Municipal Emergency Management Coordinator, in
accordance with regulations promulgated by the State Director of Emergency
Management, shall be empowered to issue and enforce such orders as
may be necessary to implement and carry out emergency management operations
and to protect the health, safety, and resources of the residents
of the municipality.
(3) The County Emergency Management Coordinator shall
be immediately advised of the proclamation of a state of local disaster
emergency by the Municipal Emergency Management Coordinator and the
action taken.
The Municipal Emergency Management Coordinator
shall complete the following courses:
A. Within one year of appointment:
(1) Emergency Program Manager (correspondence course).
(2) Emergency Management Workshop-Basic.
B. Continuing education. Following the completion of
the first year's courses, the Municipal Emergency Management Coordinator
must complete 24 classroom hours of emergency management continuing
education per year. All courses taken by the Municipal Emergency Coordinator
must be submitted to and approved by the County Emergency Management
Coordinator.
The Municipal Emergency Management Coordinator
is responsible for the provision of leadership in the field of emergency
management at the municipal level of government. As such, the Coordinator
is responsible for emergency management program administration and
program development encompassing the four phases of emergency management:
mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. The Municipal Emergency
Management Coordinator shall also be responsible for the following:
A. Program administration.
(1) Ensure that the Municipal Office of Emergency Management
is available on a twenty-four-hour basis.
(2) Supervise the day-to-day operations of the Municipal
Office of Emergency Management.
(3) Ensure that the municipality meets all requirements
for the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Emergency Management
Assistance Program, including meeting goals agreed to in the annual
workplan, maintaining a currently approved municipal emergency operations
plan, and providing the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management
with quarterly program status reports, if applicable.
(4) Prepare, submit, and justify the annual municipal
emergency management budget.
(5) Secure county, state and federal technical and financial
assistance available through the County Office of Emergency Management.
(6) Personally attend at least 75% of the scheduled County
Office of Emergency Management meetings. The Coordinator must assure
representation at all other county emergency management meetings.
(7) Maintain a continuing knowledge of all municipal,
county, state and federal laws and plans concerning emergency management.
(8) Maintain adequate files, records and correspondence
relating to emergency management activities.
(9) Interact with the County Emergency Management Coordinator
regarding:
(a) Municipal Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) review;
(b) All mutual aid agreements;
(c) Hazard Identification Capability Assessment and Multi-Year
Development Plan (HICA/MYDP);
(d) The approval and scheduling of attendees for state
and federally sponsored emergency management courses, etc.
(10) Coordinate with the municipal agencies, departments,
and bureaus regarding their emergency management responsibilities.
(11) Implement policies and procedures regarding emergency
management.
(12) Conduct quarterly staff meetings, providing advance
notice to the County Office of Emergency Management.
(13) Receive and react to weather emergency notifications.
(14) Cooperate with the National Warning System (NAWAS)
program.
(15) Comply with all directives, rules and regulations
issued by the State Office of Emergency Management.
(16) Conduct a minimum of one exercise per year, providing
a minimum thirty-day advance notice through the County Office of Emergency
Management to the State Office of Emergency Management.
B. Program development: recruit, organize, coordinate,
and train a staff to administer the following emergency management
functions and programs:
(1) Alerting and warning communications.
(4) Emergency operating center.
(5) Emergency public information.