(A) The Director, subject to the direction and control of the Advisory Council, shall be executive head of the Department and shall have responsibility for the organization, administration and operation of the emergency management organization, including the following specific powers and duties:
(1) Keep the Advisory Council fully informed on emergency management activities;
(2) Keep the County Commissioners fully informed on emergency management activities;
(3) Submit to the Advisory Council and the County Commissioners a yearly report on the county’s comprehensive emergency management, including mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery taken in the previous year and planned and recommended for the year to come;
(4) Assure that all of the duties and responsibilities of the Emergency Management Agency are completed;
(5) Assure that all county employees and rostered volunteers with responsibilities as part of the Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan receive training in the functions that they are to perform under the Plan;
(6) Design and conduct exercises of the Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan, as required by the State Emergency Management Agency;
(7) Assure that the Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan addresses all hazards and includes all cities, towns and other population centers within the county;
(8) Submit to State Emergency Management Agency the assessment specified in IDHS’s required format and within IDHS’s required time frame for submission;
(9) Provide to the State Emergency Management Agency Director annual reports and documentation as mandated;
(10) Competently manage the Department’s various functions, including among others financial, personnel and logistic;
(11) Timely respond to the Chairperson of the Advisory Council, as mandated by I.C. 10-14-3-17;
(12) Timely obey the directives of superior state authorities;
(13) Assure that the activities of the Department at all times comport with I.C. 10-14-1 and other applicable statutes, rules and county ordinances.
(14) Develop an emergency operating center (“EOC”) as a site from which key officials can direct and control operations during a disaster or emergency;
(15) Attend, and attain passing grades in, the emergency management professional development series for emergency management presented by the Public Safety Training Institute within four years of first assuming the position of Director;
(16) Attend, and attain passing grades in, such emergency management training as may be required by IDHS in subsequent years;
(17) Assure the Deputy Director’s attendance at, and passing grades in, the Emergency Management Professional Development Series for emergency management presented by the Public Safety Training Institute within four years of first assuming the position of Deputy Director;
(18) Assure the Deputy Director’s and all paid emergency management staff’s attendance at, and passing grades in, such emergency management training as may be required by IDHS in subsequent years;
(19) Assure ongoing attendance by the Director, the Deputy Director and all paid emergency management staff at further emergency management courses presented by the Public Safety Training Institute to assure continued knowledge of the latest information on emergency management;
(20) Assume responsibility for public relations, information and education regarding all phases of emergency management;
(21) Assure coordination within the county of all activities for emergency management;
(22) Maintain liaison and coordinate with all other affected agencies, public and private;
(23) Coordinate the recruitment and training for volunteer personnel and agencies to augment the personnel and facilities of the county for emergency management purposes;
(24) Seek, negotiate and enter into (with the approval or ratification of the County Commissioners and consistent with the State Emergency Operations Plan and program) mutual aid arrangements with other public and private agencies for emergency management purposes, and taking all steps in accordance with such arrangements to comply with or take advantage thereof in the event of an actual emergency affecting the parties;
(25) Accept any offer of the federal government to provide for the use of the county any services, equipment, supplies, materials or funds for emergency management purposes by way of gift, grant or loan, when the Governor has approved such offer;
(26) Seek and accept from any person, firm or corporation, any gratuitous offers to provide services, equipment, supplies, materials, funds or licenses or privileges to use real estate or other premises, to the county for emergency management purposes;
(27) Issue proper insignia and papers to emergency management workers and other people directly concerned with emergency management;
(28) Assure that all volunteers meet the criteria set forth below in § 32.21(A)(2)(c) prior to accepting them as members of the Department; and
(29) Make rapid and accurate assessment of the following as soon as an emergency or disaster declaration has been made:
(a) Property damage;
(b) Personal injuries;
(c) Fatalities;
(d) Basic needs; and
(e) Special needs.
(B) In addition to the powers and duties expressly provided above in this section, the Director shall be construed to have all powers and duties of a local emergency management director as provided under I.C. 10-14-1. In particular, but not by limitation, the Director, through the Department, may perform or cause to be performed with respect to the county, any function parallel or analogous to those performed on a statewide basis by IDHS under I.C. 10-14-1.
(Ord. 2013-06, passed 6-27-2013)