(A) The Director, subject to the supervision, direction, and control of the Advisory Council, shall be executive head of the Department of Emergency Management and shall have responsibility for its organization, administration, and operation, including the following specific powers and duties:
(1) The Director shall be responsible for public relations, information, and education regarding all phases of emergency management.
(2) The Director shall be responsible for the development of a county comprehensive emergency management plan, and upon adoption, shall be responsible for such implementation, and revision of the plan as to maintain it on a current state of readiness at all times. This plan shall include all major cities within the county.
(3) The Director shall coordinate, with Knox County political subdivisions, all activities for emergency management and shall maintain liaison and coordinate with all other affected agencies, public and private.
(4) The Director shall coordinate the recruitment and training of volunteer personnel and agencies to augment the personnel and facilities of the county for emergency management purposes.
(5) The Director may seek, negotiate, and enter into (with the approval of the Commissioners and to the extent consistent with the State Department of Homeland Security comprehensive emergency management plan) mutual-aid arrangements with other public and private agencies for emergency management purposes, and take all steps in accordance with such arrangements to comply with or take advantage thereof in the event of an actual emergency affecting the parties.
(6) The Director may, when such offer has been approved by the Governor and the Commissioners, 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.
(7) The Director, with the approval of the Commissioners, may seek and accept from any person, firm or corporation, any gratuitous offers to provide services, equipment, supplies, materials, funds, and licenses or privileges to use real estate or other premises, to the county for emergency management purposes.
(8) The Director may issue proper insignia and papers to emergency management workers and other people directly concerned with emergency management.
(B) The Director, in addition to the powers and duties expressly provided above, shall be construed to have all powers and duties of a local emergency management director as provided under I.C. 10-14-3.
(Ord. 2014-5, passed 4-21-2014)