(A) The County Fiscal Court hereby designates the local Disaster and Emergency Services Organization of the county (herein called “IDES”) as the lead agency for implementing the provisions of this chapter with the county’s Fiscal Court retaining all administrative and policy decisions regarding the public safety, health, general welfare of county residents, and protection of property and the environment of the county.
(B) IDES shall have the authority to initiate the response, dispatch private environmental response entities, coordinate inter-agency activity and supervise the environmental emergency. Such action at a minimum requires proper notification, securing or evacuating the area at risk, cleanup, monitoring, disposal verification, reporting of occurrence and documenting such occurrence which may include, audio and video material, communication records, manifests, time sheets, equipment logs, laboratory reports or statements from responding personnel or user. All such action shall be based on the capability of the county to meet any commitment of finances, personnel or equipment.
(C) IDES shall utilize only those responding personnel who are trained at their respective level of hazardous or emergency response. IDES shall have the authority for management of the environmental emergency on the site and coordinate with any state and federal agencies involved with the occurrence in a manner to minimize the risk to the general public and environment.
(D) IDES shall make an official report of any occurrence to the county’s Fiscal Court at its next regular scheduled meeting. The report shall detail the impact on the general population, environment and all costs attributable to the occurrence. Such a report does not constitute the required reporting of such occurrence to the appropriate state or federal agency as required by law.
(Ord. 95-330.1, passed 3-13-1995)