In view of the existing and increasing possibility of the occurrence of disasters of unprecedented size and destructiveness resulting from enemy attack, sabotage or other hostile action, or from fire, flood, earthquakes or other natural or manmade causes, and in order to insure that preparations of this City will be adequate to deal with such disasters, and, generally, to provide for the defense and to protect the public peace, health and safety and to preserve the lives and property of the people of this City, it is hereby found and declared to be necessary:
(a) To create an office of Emergency Services in the City;
(b) To confer upon the officials of the City the emergency powers provided herein; and
(c) To provide for the rendering of emergency services within this City and to cooperate with other governmental agencies with respect to carrying out the emergency service functions.
It is further declared to be the purpose of this article and the policy of this City that all emergency service functions of this City be coordinated to the maximum extent with the comparable functions of the County, State and Federal Governments, including the various departments and agencies thereof, as well as with other states and localities and with private agencies of every type, so that the most effective preparation and use may be made of the County, State and nation's manpower, resources and facilities for dealing with any disaster that may occur. (1969 Code §5-1;3-20-75)