(A) (1) There is hereby created the County Emergency Management Agency, in accordance with the provisions of KRS Ch. 39A to 39F, which shall serve in the interest of public safety within the territorial boundaries of the county.
(2) The County Emergency Management Agency shall develop, implement and maintain the local comprehensive emergency management program for the county in accordance with the provisions of KRS Ch. 39A to 39F, the comprehensive emergency management program requirements of the state’s Division of Emergency Management, the provisions of the state’s Emergency Operations Plan, administrative regulations promulgated by the state’s Division of Emergency Management, and the resolutions, orders or ordinances of the Fiscal Court of the county.
(3) The County Emergency Management Agency shall be an organizational unit of county government attached to the office of County Judge Executive and shall have primary jurisdiction, responsibility, and authority for all matters pertaining to the comprehensive emergency management program and disaster and emergency response of the county.
(4) The County Emergency Management Agency shall meet all requirements of a local emergency management agency, as defined in KRS Ch. 39A to 39F, and shall be the administrative branch of the County Disaster and Emergency Services organization established pursuant to KRS Ch. 39A to 39F.
(5) The County Judge Executive shall designate and include a separate Emergency Management Agency budget unit classification within each annual county budget, and all financial matters of the County Emergency Management Agency shall be handled through the county treasury and uniform budget system.
(B) (1) The County Judge Executive, within 30 days of assuming office, shall appoint a County Emergency Management Director in accordance with the provisions of KRS 39B.020, and shall immediately notify the state’s Division of Emergency Management of the appointment.
(2) The County Emergency Management Director, appointed pursuant to this section, shall be sworn by oath to the Emergency Management Agency Director immediately upon appointment, and shall serve at the pleasure of the County Judge Executive, but shall serve no longer than four consecutive years without reappointment and, as a minimum, shall meet all the qualification requirements specified in KRS Ch. 39A to 39F.
(C) The County Emergency Management Director shall have and exercise all the powers, authorities, rights and duties as specified in KRS Ch. 39A to 39F, and in the orders or ordinances of the Fiscal Court of the county, to include the following:
(1) To represent the County Judge Executive on all matters pertaining to the comprehensive emergency management program and the disaster and emergency response of the county;
(2) To be the executive head and chief administrative officer of the County Emergency Management Agency and direct, control, supervise and manage the development, preparation, organization, administration, operation, implementation and maintenance of the comprehensive emergency management program of the county, and to coordinate all disaster and emergency response of the county;
(3) To develop, update and maintain the county emergency operations plan in compliance with the provisions of KRS Ch. 39A to 39F;
(4) To establish, maintain and coordinate or direct the County Disaster and Emergency Services Organization in accordance with the provisions of the County Emergency Operations Plan, the Kentucky Emergency Operations Plan, and the provisions of KRS Ch. 39A to 39F;
(5) To notify the County Judge Executive and the state’s Division of Emergency Management immediately of the occurrence, or threatened or impending occurrence, of any emergency, disaster or catastrophic incident or situation, and provide in such notice an assessment of possible or actual damages or threats to life, health, safety, property or the environment, and recommend any emergency actions or orders which should be executed;
(6) To be the chief advisor to, and the primary on-scene representative of, the County Judge Executive in the event of any emergency, declared emergency, disaster or catastrophe within the county;
(7) To respond and have full access to the scenes of an emergency, declared emergency, disaster or catastrophe and immediately investigate, analyze or access the nature, scope or seriousness of all situations; coordinate the establishment and operation of an incident command or management system; execute the provisions of the County Emergency Operations Plan; activate the County Emergency Operations Center or on-scene command post; convene meetings, gather information and conduct briefings; notify the County Judge Executive and the state’s Division of Emergency Management immediately of the nature, scope or seriousness of any emergency situation and provide information on all on-going response actions being taken in association with the incident; provide any assistance requested, as deemed necessary or appropriate; and take any actions to fully expedite and coordinate the disaster and emergency response of all local public or private agencies, departments, units or individuals;
(8) To take or direct immediate actions to protect public safety at the direction of the County Judge Executive during any declared emergency or disaster;
(9) To act as an official representative of the state’s Division of Emergency Management when specifically requested by the State Director;
(10) To report directly to the County Judge Executive and act in an official policy-making capacity when carrying out all duties of the Emergency Management Agency director;
(11) To have full signatory authority, in accordance with Ch. 30 of this code of ordinances, for execution of all contracts, agreements or other official documents pertaining to the administration, organization and operation of the County Emergency Management Agency and the local comprehensive emergency management program;
(12) To direct all paid or volunteer employees, staff assistants or other workers of the County Emergency Management Agency, and supervise any operating units and personnel associated with it which are officially appointed and affiliated with the County Disaster and Emergency Services organization pursuant to the provisions of KRS Ch. 39A to 39F;
(13) To prepare and submit regular or scheduled program activity reports to the area manager of the state’s Division of Emergency Management and the County Judge Executive;
(14) To execute bond in the amount as determined by the County Judge Executive, when directed by the County Judge Executive;
(15) To prepare and submit to the County Judge Executive, on an annual basis by March 1March, a program and agency budget request for the County Emergency Management Agency;
(16) To prepare and submit to the state’s Division of Emergency Management, on an annual basis by July 15, a fiscal year program paper and budget request for the County Emergency Management Agency;
(17) To enroll and be a registered member of the commonwealth’s Emergency Management Association;
(18) To perform the duties of, or appoint with the approval of the Fiscal Court of the county, the County Search and Rescue Coordinator pursuant to the provisions of KRS Ch. 39F; and
(19) To perform all administrative, organizational or operational tasks required pursuant to KRS Ch. 39A to 39F, commonwealth administrative regulations, the commonwealth’s Emergency Operations Plan or program guidance issued by the state’s Division of Emergency Management; and to carry out all other emergency management-related duties as required by the resolutions, orders or ordinances of the Fiscal Court of the county, the executive orders of the County Judge Executive, and the provisions of the County Emergency Operations Plan.
(Ord. 99.330-1, passed 6-29-1999) Penalty, see § 32.99