[Added by Ord. No. 04-09]
As used in this article, the following words
have the meanings indicated:
The County Commissioners of Queen Anne's County.
The Emergency Services Advisory Council.
The Department of Emergency Services.
[Amended 9-22-2009 by Ord. No. 09-18]
The Department of Emergency Services shall consist
of persons appointed by the County Commissioners as may be necessary.
The appointments of such persons will be made solely on the basis
of their qualifications. The Department shall be responsible for the
administration, coordination, and functioning of emergency related
services, emergency medical services, emergency management, communication,
the Office of the Fire Marshal and other emergency services that may
be assigned or be required by law, and the coordination of fire prevention
and suppression and rescue services.
[Amended 1-3-2006 by Ord. No. 05-29; 9-22-2009 by Ord. No.
09-18; 7-10-2012 by Ord. No. 12-08; 2-9-2016 by Ord. No. 15-10]
The County shall appoint an Emergency Services Advisory Council
with the powers and duties specified in this article.
A.
General powers and duties.
(1)
Advise the County Commissioners on matters regarding the provision
of emergency services within Queen Anne's County.
(2)
Assist the Department regarding emergency services public information
and education.
(3)
Submit to the Commissioners an annual report on the status of emergency
services in the County and make recommendations for improvement to
the system.
(4)
Perform other appropriate functions requested by the Department or
the County.
B.
Membership.
(1)
The Director, Department of Emergency Services, will serve as Executive
Director to the Council and provide necessary staff support. The Executive
Director will have voting authority if the membership's vote
results in a tie.
(2)
The County will appoint eight voting members to the Council. Voting
membership will include representatives as follows:
(a)
Fire and EMS Commission Chairman (one),
(b)
Fire and EMS Commission Volunteer Ambulance Committee Chairman
(one),
(c)
Fire and EMS Commission Volunteer Fire Chief (one),
(d)
Consumers (five, four of whom shall reside in and represent
each of the four County Commissioners Districts in Queen Anne's
County and one of whom shall be an at-large member who may reside
anywhere in the County).
C.
Terms. Initial appointments to the Council shall be staggered in
the discretion of the County. Thereafter all Council members shall
serve terms of two years or until his or her successor is appointed.
D.
Procedures. The Council may establish procedures and rules to facilitate
carrying out the mission of the Council.
E.
Committees. The Council may establish such standing and ad hoc committees
as it may deem necessary. Committee chairs must be members in good
standing of the Council, but standing and ad hoc committee members
are not required to be members of the Council.
The County shall provide in each annual budget,
sums of money necessary to fund the Department and such programs for
emergency medical services, rescue services, communication, fire prevention
and suppression, emergency management, and other emergency related
services as the County Commissioners may deem appropriate.
The Department is responsible for emergency
management within the County in accordance with Article 16A, Section
7, of the Annotated Code of Maryland, the Superfund Amendments and
Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA), the Emergency Planning and Community
Right-to-Know Act of 1986 (EPSCRA) and other applicable federal, state
or local laws.
The Department is responsible for emergency
medical services within the County in accordance with the Code of
Maryland Regulations (COMAR) Title 30, Maryland Institute for Emergency
Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS).
[Added 9-22-2009 by Ord. No. 09-18]
A.
The Department
is responsible for the functions of the Office of the Fire Marshal
as prescribed by Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) Title 6; and
in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding between the Office
of the State Fire Marshal and Queen Anne's County Department of Emergency
Services – Office of the Fire Marshal Regarding the Roles and
Responsibilities of Each Agency in Carrying Out their Missions in
Queen Anne's County.
B.
The Queen
Anne's County Office of the Fire Marshal has the authority to investigate
the origin, cause, and circumstances of every fire, explosion, or
hazardous materials emergency in Queen Anne's County. When the fire
investigator has reason to believe that a fire, explosion, or hazardous
materials incident may be the result of a violation of any law, the
investigator may immediately take custody of and safeguard all physical
evidence in connection with the incident.
