(A) The powers and duties of the Mayor pertaining to civil defense in time of normal city operation are to maintain general supervision over the planning and administration for the civil defense organization and the execution of the civil defense duties and civil defense forces in order to meet situations not covered in the normal duties of such forces. The Mayor may take all seemingly necessary action to conduct tests of the civil defense and natural disaster plans. In the event of actual or threatened enemy attack or natural disaster, the Mayor, or in his or her absence or inability to serve the President of the Council, as conservator of the peace shall have authority to:
(1) Declare a state of emergency within the city thereby placing in effect the civil defense and disaster control plan.
(2) Convene the City Council to perform its legislative and administrative functions as the situation may demand. The Council shall have the power to terminate the state of emergency.
(3) Assemble and utilize civil defense forces and prescribe the manner and conditions of their use.
(4) Request the state, its agencies or political subdivisions to send aid if the situation is beyond the control of the regular and emergency city forces.
(5) Command the services and the use of equipment and facilities for such work and duties as the city may require to aid the regular and volunteer city forces in time of emergency.
(6) Promulgate such emergency regulations as may be deemed necessary to protect life and property and conserve critical resources and such regulations may be invoked when necessary for tests of civil defense and disaster plans. All such regulations shall be subject to approval of the Council as soon as practicable subsequent to promulgation.
(B) The Mayor shall designate a line of succession among the department heads to exercise the powers and duties of the Director of Civil Defense in event of the absence or inability of the Director to serve. The Mayor, or in his or her absence or inability to serve the President of the Council, shall have the power to order civil defense forces to aid the state or political subdivisions thereof subject to Council review as soon as practicable.
('72 Code, § 1-1102)