(a) The Executive Director or his designee may issue badges to:
(1) Members of the press upon their written request; or
(2) Employees of utilities, as defined in Section 2-29-060, upon the written request of any such utility over the signature of its president and secretary; or
(3) Other non-governmental personnel whose presence at an emergency situation site is deemed appropriate by the Executive Director or designee; or
(4) Employees of the Office of Emergency Management and Communications or such other employees of the City of Chicago who are required by their duties to access a disaster site;
The Executive Director or his designee may also issue badges when, in his discretion, the issuance of such badges is necessary to prevent the destruction of property or to serve the general public. The Executive Director or his designee may obtain assistance from the Department of Police in determining the suitability of an individual for a badge issued under this section, and at his discretion may recall any badge so issued.
(b) If conditions at a disaster site so warrant, any person entitled to a badge who exhibits it shall be admitted within the cordon of disaster site limits established by the executive director or his designee. Provided, however, the possession of such a badge shall not authorize the person holding it to travel without restriction within the disaster site except upon the express permission of the executive director or his designee at the scene. Provided further, if in their judgment conditions at a disaster site so warrant, the executive director, the fire commissioner, or the superintendent of police, or their respective designees, are authorized to deny or restrict badge holders' access to the site.
(c) The badges shall be of distinctive character and different in form and appearance from those worn by members of the office. A register shall be maintained containing a list of the badges so issued together with their identifying numbers and the names and addresses and such other details as may be necessary to identify holders of them. All expenses incident to the issuance of such badges shall be borne by the applicants therefor, and the badges shall be returned by the persons holding them at the time of leaving the employment of the company that obtained the badges for them.
(d) Badges for admission within cordoned limits that have been issued by the department of police or the fire department shall be recognized as valid for purposes of this section.
(e) Any person who shall wear a badge as provided for in this section without authority, or who shall fail to return it upon leaving the employ of the company which obtained it for him or upon recall by the executive director, or who shall, after being admitted within the cordon of site limits established as aforesaid, enter a part of the site without express permission as provided herein, shall be fined not less than $50.00 nor more than $200.00 for each offense.
(Added Coun. J. 12-4-02, p. 99026, § 8.1; Amend Coun. J. 12-7-05, p. 64870, § 1.9; Amend Coun. J. 11-21-17, p. 61755, Art. XIII, § 2)