This chapter shall be known as the "Civil Defense Ordinance
of the City of El Reno."
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall be construed
as follows, unless a contrary intent clearly appears from the context:
CIVIL DEFENSE
The preparation for and the carrying out of all emergency
functions other than functions for which primary responsibility is
assigned elsewhere by federal, state or local law or ordinance, to
protect the public peace, health and safety, and to preserve lives
and property, in the City during any emergency resulting from enemy
attack, sabotage or other hostile action, or from any flood, drought,
fire, hurricane, earthquake, storm or other catastrophe in or near
the City, and involving imminent or actual peril to life and property
in the City. These functions include administration, organization,
planning, recruiting, training, education, information, welfare service,
relief service, police service, warden service, fire service, rescue
service, medical service, health service, transportation service,
communications service, street and sewer service, utilities service,
general engineering service, plant protection service, supply service,
mutual aid, mobile support, evacuation and all other functions necessary
or incidental to the preparation for and carrying out of the foregoing
functions.
ENEMY-CAUSED EMERGENCY
Any state of emergency caused by actual or impending attack,
sabotage or other hostile action, anywhere within the United States,
and involving imminent peril to lives and property in the City. Such
emergency shall be deemed to exist only when the Mayor of the City
shall so declare by public proclamation. Such emergency shall be deemed
to continue to exist until the Mayor shall declare its termination
by public proclamation, or until the City Council shall declare its
termination by resolution.
HEALTH EMERGENCY
Any state of emergency caused by any actual or impending
health pandemic or catastrophe in or near the City and involving imminent
peril to lives and property in the City. Such emergency shall be deemed
to exist and to be terminated under the same conditions as prescribed
for a health emergency.
NATURAL EMERGENCY
Any state of emergency caused by any actual or impending
flood, drought, fire, hurricane, earthquake, storm or other catastrophe
in or near the City and involving imminent peril to lives and property
in the City. Such emergency shall be deemed to exist and to be terminated
under the same conditions as prescribed for an enemy- caused emergency.
The Office of Director of Civil Defense is hereby created. Such
Director shall be appointed by the City Manager and shall serve at
his pleasure or until the repeal of this chapter. The Director shall
serve without compensation, but he shall be reimbursed for actual
expenses incurred in the discharge of his duties.
In the event of any actual enemy-caused emergency, as proclaimed
by the Mayor, the Director of Civil Defense, with the approval of
the City Manager, may exercise, during such emergency, the power to
enforce all rules and regulations relating to civil defense and, acting
under the authority of state statutes, or under the authority of the
City Manager, as an agent of the Governor of Oklahoma, may take control
of all means of transportation and communications, all stocks of fuel,
food, clothing, medicine and supplies, and all facilities, including
buildings and plants, and exercise all powers necessary to secure
the safety and protection of the civilian population. In exercising
such powers, he shall be guided by regulations and orders issued by
the federal government and the Governor of Oklahoma relating to civil
defense and shall take no action contrary to orders which may be issued
by the Governor under similar emergency powers.
In the event of any natural emergency, as proclaimed by the
Mayor, the Director of Civil Defense, with the approval of the City
Manager and acting under his instructions, shall coordinate in every
way proper the activities of the civil defense organization. He is
specifically charged in such emergency with the collection, evaluation
and dissemination of the information to all agencies, both public
and private, participating in the City's civil defense organization
or cooperating in any such emergency. He shall, as Director, have
the power to recommend appropriate action, but he shall not otherwise
have control over the participating agencies. He shall also recommend
to the City Manager the allocation of any funds received from the
federal or state government or from any other source to alleviate
distress and aid in restoring normal conditions.
In the event of any health emergency, as proclaimed by the Mayor,
the Director of Civil Defense, with the approval of the City Manager
and acting under his instructions, shall coordinate in every way proper
the activities of the civil defense organization. He is specifically
charged in such emergency with the collection, evaluation and dissemination
of the information to all agencies, both public and private, participating
in the City's civil defense organization or cooperating in any
such emergency. He shall, as Director, have the power to recommend
appropriate action, but he shall not otherwise have control over the
participating agencies. He shall also recommend to the City Manager
the allocation of any funds received from the federal or state government
or from any other source to alleviate distress and aid in restoring
normal conditions.
The Director of Civil Defense shall, within the appropriations
therefor, establish a primary and one or more secondary control centers,
as he deems necessary to serve during an enemy-caused, natural emergency
and/or a health emergency.
Neither the City nor any officer or member of the civil defense
organization provided for in this chapter shall be liable for personal
injury or property damage sustained by any person appointed or acting
as a volunteer civil defense worker or member of any agency engaged
in civil defense activity prior to or during either an enemy-caused,
natural emergency, and/or a health emergency; nor shall the City or
any such officer or member be liable for the death or injury of any
persons, or damage to property, resulting from such civil defense
activity prior to or during either an enemy-caused, natural emergency,
and/or a health emergency.
Whenever the federal government or the State of Oklahoma or
any person, firm or corporation shall offer to the City any services,
equipment, supplies, materials or funds by way of gift, grant or loan,
for purposes of civil defense, the City Manager may accept such offer
and may authorize the Director of Civil Defense to receive same subject
to the terms of the offer and the rules and regulations, if any, of
the agency making the offer.
Control shall be exercised by the City of El Reno, Oklahoma,
as established by regularly constituted governing authorities of El
Reno, Oklahoma. Should normal governmental operations be interrupted
by man-made disaster, natural disaster and/or health pandemics, the
line of succession as outlined in the Basic Emergency Operations Plan,
shall be followed.
Penalty for violations of these regulations shall be set at
$100 plus court costs; each day on which any violation of these regulations
and restrictions occurs shall constitute a separate offense and shall
be punishable as such.