A. Agency Created; Composition: There is hereby created an emergency services and disaster agency and a coordinator of the emergency services and disaster agency, herein called the "coordinator", who shall be the head thereof.
B. Jurisdiction: The county ESDA shall have jurisdiction over and serve the entire county.
C. Coordinator:
1. Appointment: The county board chairman, with the consent of the county board, shall appoint the coordinator of the county ESDA in the same manner as are the heads of other county departments.
2. Responsibility/Duties: The coordinator, subject to the direction and control of the board chairman, shall be the executive head of the county emergency services and disaster agency, and shall be responsible, under the direction of the board chairman, for carrying out the program for emergency services and disaster operations of the county. He shall coordinate the activities of all organizations for emergency services and disaster operations within the county and shall maintain liaison and cooperate with the emergency management and disaster agencies and organizations of other counties and municipalities, and of the federal and state governments.
3. Vacancy In Office: In the event of absence, resignation, death, or inability to serve by the coordinator, the board chairman, or any persons designated by him, shall be and act as coordinator until a new appointment is made as provided in this chapter.
D. Oath Of Office: Each person, whether compensated or noncompensated, who is appointed to serve in any capacity in a department of the county emergency services and disaster agency shall, before entering upon his duties, take an oath, in writing, before a person authorized to administer oaths in the county, which oath shall be filed with the coordinator of the county emergency services and disaster agency, and which oath shall be substantially as follows:
I , do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend and bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Illinois, and the territory, institutions and facilities thereof, both public and private, against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties upon which I am about to enter. And I do further swear (or affirm) that I do not advocate, nor am I, nor have I been a member of any political party or organization that advocates the overthrow of the government of the United States or of this State by force or violence; and that during such time I am affiliated with the Grundy County Emergency Services and Disaster Agency, I will not advocate nor become a member of any political party or organization that advocates the overthrow of the government of the United States or of this State by force or violence.
E. Functions And Duties:
1. The county emergency services and disaster agency shall take an integral part in the development and revision of local and interjurisdictional disaster plans. The coordinator shall be authorized to form an emergency management advisory committee composed of private and public personnel involved in the four (4) phases of emergency management.
2. In the development of local and interjurisdictional disaster plans, the county emergency services and disaster agency shall interrelate with business, labor, industry, agriculture, civic and volunteer organizations and community leaders.
3. The county emergency services and disaster agency shall:
a. Coordinate the overall emergency management programs of the county.
b. Cooperate with all public and private organizations, agencies or entities to achieve the purpose of this chapter and in implementing emergency management programs for mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.
c. Create volunteer units to provide and implement those actions needed to protect the public health and safety including, but not limited to, those tasks normally conducted by law enforcement, firefighting, EMS or other personnel that are considered necessary, incidental or appropriate for the implementation of this chapter.
d. Prepare for issuance by the county board chairman executive orders, proclamations, and regulations as necessary or appropriate in coping with disasters.
e. Promulgate rules, regulations and standards for emergency operations plans of political subdivisions located within the county.
f. Review the emergency operations plans of political subdivisions within the county and recommend revisions under rules and standards of the county.
g. Determine the requirements of the county and its political subdivisions for food, clothing and other necessities in the event of a disaster.
h. Establish a roster of persons with types of emergency management training and skills in mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.
i. Establish a list of government and private response resources that could be available for use in a disaster.
j. Maintain a hazard awareness program and efforts to distribute preparedness materials to schools, political subdivisions, community groups, civic organizations and the media.
k. Disseminate all severe weather information completely and without delay to those political subdivisions, agencies and organizations to the maximum extent possible.
l. Do all other things necessary, incidental or appropriate for the implementation of this chapter.
F. Staff And Expenditures: The county emergency services and disaster agency shall obtain, with board approval, such technical, clerical, stenographic and other administrative personnel, and may make such expenditures within its appropriation as may be deemed necessary to carry out the purpose of this chapter. (Ord., 1-10-1995)