The emergency response authority shall have the following duties and authority:
(A) Provide 24-hour response capability to reported or suspected hazardous waste incidents;
(B) Take initial emergency action necessary to minimize the effects of a hazardous material incident and exercise continuing supervisory authority over all further efforts to eliminate the threat of immediate and irreparable harm to the environment or the public health and safety;
(C) Request assistance of personnel and equipment at the scene and immediate vicinity of a hazardous material incident from any town department and generally direct, supervise and coordinate the activities of such persons and the use of such equipment;
(D) Request assistance from the nearest available fire department or other public agency possessing such equipment, personnel or expertise which, in the judgment of the emergency response authority, may be necessary to handle a particular hazardous material incident when such equipment, personnel or expertise is not reasonably available on a timely basis from the various town departments;
(E) Contract, as an emergency measure without the necessity of bids, for services and material from any person for the purpose of minimizing the effects of a hazardous material incident and for eliminating the threat of immediate and irreparable harm to the environment or to public health and safety if such services or material is not reasonably available on a timely basis from the various town departments or other fire departments or public agencies; and
(F) Notify the Disaster Emergency Service Agency, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the state’s Department of Health and any other federal or state agency of hazardous material incidents as required by any federal or state law or regulation. The emergency response authority may request the Disaster Emergency Service Agency to assist in making the required notifications and for any other assistance which is deemed appropriate.
(Prior Code, § 230.4) (Ord. 290, passed 12-2-1982; Ord. 391, passed 8-3-1995; Ord. 578, passed 12-4-2014)