(a) The City Manager as Director shall have the following powers and duties.
(1) The Director may exercise the emergency power and authority necessary to fulfill his general powers and duties as defined in the City Charter. The judgement of the Director shall be the sole criteria necessary to invoke emergency powers provided in the City Charter, the City ordinances and other appropriate authorities.
(2) During any period when disaster threatens or when the City has been struck by disaster, the Director may promulgate such regulations as he deems necessary to protect life and property and preserve critical resources. These regulations may include, but shall not be limited to the following:
A. Regulations prohibiting or restricting the movement of vehicles in order to facilitate the work of civil defense forces, or to facilitate the mass movement of persons from critical areas within or without the City;
B. Regulations pertaining to the movement of persons from areas deemed to be hazardous or vulnerable to disaster;
C. Any other regulations necessary to preserve public peace, health and safety; and
D. Regulations promulgated in accordance with the authority above shall be given widespread circulation by proclamations published and uttered by newspaper, radio and television.
E. All of the regulations herein contained shall have the force of ordinance when duly passed by Council.
(3) The Director shall direct resources to the aid of other communities when required in accordance with the statutes of the State, and he may request the State, or a political subdivision of the State, to send aid to the City in case of disaster when resources of the City are no longer adequate to cope with the disaster.
(4) The Director may obtain vital supplies, equipment and other properties found lacking and needed for the protection of health, life and property of the people, and bind the city for the fair value thereof.
(5) The Director may require emergency services of any City officer or employees. If regular City forces are determined inadequate, the Director may require the services of such other personnel as he can obtain that are available, including citizen volunteers. All duly authorized persons rendering emergency service shall be entitled to the privileges and immunities as are provided by State law, the City Charter and ordinances for regular City employees and other registered and identified civil defense and disaster workers.
(6) The Director shall cause to be prepared the Basic Plan herein referred to in Section 107.05, and to exercise his ordinary powers as City Manager, all of the specific powers conferred upon him by the City Charter and the ordinances of the City.
(7) The Director shall be responsible for the planning, coordination and operation of the civil preparedness activity of the City. He shall maintain liaison with the State and federal authorities and the authorities of other nearby political subdivisions as to insure the most effective operation of the civil defense plan. His duties shall include, but not be limited to the following:
A. Coordinating the recruitment of volunteer personnel and agencies to augment the personnel and facilities of the City for civil preparedness and disaster services purposes;
B. Development and coordination of plans for the immediate use of all the facilities, equipment, manpower and other resources of the City for the purpose of minimizing or preventing damage to persons and property; and protecting and restoring to usefulness governmental services and public utilities necessary for the public health, safety and welfare;
C. Negotiating and concluding agreements with owners or persons in control of buildings or other property for the civil preparedness and disaster services purposes and designating suitable buildings as public shelters;
D. Through public information programs, educating the civilian population as to actions necessary and required for the protection of their persons and property in case of disaster, either impending or present;
E. Conducting public practice alerts to insure the efficient operation of the civil preparedness and disaster services forces, and to familiarize residents with civil preparedness and disaster services regulations, procedures and operations;
F. Coordinating the activity of all other public and private agencies engaged in any civil preparedness and disaster services activity; and
G. Assuming authority and conducting any activity as he may direct to promote and execute the Civil Preparedness and Disaster Basic Plan.
(b) Council may convene to perform its legislative and administrative powers as the situation demands, and shall receive reports relative to civil preparedness and disaster services activities. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as abridging or curtailing the powers or restrictions of Council as defined by the City Charter.
(1987 Code 91.04)