§ 9.20.020 — Definitions

9.20.020 - Definitions.

When used in the context of this chapter, the following words, terms, and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section: Activate, as used in this chapter, shall mean the placing into operation of the emergency organization hereinafter provided for, upon the receipt of official warning of an impending or threatened emergency, or upon the declaration of the existence of a local emergency. Continuity of Government, as used in this chapter, shall mean all measures taken to ensure the continuity of essential functions of government in the event of emergency conditions, including lines of succession for key decision makers and officials. Director of Emergency Services, as used in this chapter, shall mean the individual having jurisdiction and authority over the City's response and recovery to extraordinary emergencies and disasters. The City Manager serves as the Director of Emergency Services. Disaster Service Worker, as used in this chapter, shall mean any person registered with a disaster council or the Governor's Office of Emergency Services, or a state agency granted authority to register disaster service workers, for the purpose of engaging in disaster service work pursuant to the California Emergency Services Act without pay or other consideration. Disaster service worker includes public employees, and also includes any unregistered persons impressed into service during a state of war emergency, a state of emergency, or a local emergency by a person having authority to command the aid of citizens in the execution of his or her duties. Emergency, as used in this chapter, shall mean the actual or threatened existence of conditions of disaster or of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property within this city caused by such conditions as air pollution, fire, flood, storm, epidemic, riot, earthquake, drought, sudden and severe energy shortage, plant or animal infestation or disease, or other conditions, including conditions resulting from war or imminent threat of war, severe or imminent threat of terrorist attack, but other than conditions resulting from a labor controversy, which conditions are or are likely to require the combined services, personnel, equipment and facilities of this city. Emergency Operations Center (EOC), as used in this chapter, shall mean the location from which centralized city emergency management is performed. Inability to Act, as used in this chapter, shall mean that an official is either killed, missing, or so seriously ill or injured as to be unable to attend meetings and otherwise perform his/her duties. Any question as to whether a particular official can be deemed to have an "inability to act" shall be settled by the City Council or any remaining available members of the City Council (including standby officers who are serving on such body). Local emergency, as used in this chapter, shall mean the duly proclaimed existence of conditions of disaster or of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property within the territorial limits of the County of Riverside or the City of Riverside, caused by such conditions as air pollution, fire, flood, storm, epidemic, pandemic, riot, drought, sudden and severe energy shortage, plant or animal infestation or disease, the Governor's warning of an earthquake or volcanic prediction, or other conditions, including conditions resulting from war or imminent threat of war, severe or imminent threat of terrorist attack, other than conditions resulting from a labor controversy, which conditions are or are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of that political subdivision and require the combined forces of other political subdivisions to combat, or with respect to regulated energy utilities, a sudden and severe energy shortage requires extraordinary measures beyond the authority vested in the State Public Utilities Commission. Multi-agency or inter-agency coordination, as used in this chapter, shall mean the participation of agencies and disciplines involved at any level of the Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) organization working together in a coordinated effort to facilitate decisions for overall emergency response activities, including the sharing of critical resources and the prioritization of incidents. National Incident Management System, as used in this chapter, shall mean the adopted national emergency management processes, protocols, and procedures for Federal, State, tribal and local responders. National Incident Management System (NIMS) utilizes the Incident Command System (ICS), Resource Management, Joint Information Management System, Communication and Information Management and Preparedness policies. NIMS is consistent with SEMS. Operational area, as used in this chapter, shall mean an intermediate level of State emergency services organization, consisting of a county and all political subdivisions within the county area. Each county geographic area is designated an operational area for the coordination of emergency activities and to serve as a link in the system of communications and coordination between the State's emergency operations centers and the operations centers of the political subdivisions comprising the operational area, as defined in Government Code Sections 8559 (b) and 8605. This definition does not change the definition of operational area as used in the existing fire and rescue mutual aid system. Standardized Emergency Management System, as used in this chapter, shall mean the adopted State Emergency Management System. The Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) utilizes the Incident Command System (ICS), Multi/Interagency Coordination, Mutual Aid, and the Operational Area Concept to facilitate emergency incident management, priority setting, interagency cooperation and the efficient use of resources and flow of information during an emergency. SEMS is consistent with NIMS. State of emergency, as used in this chapter, shall mean the duly proclaimed existence of conditions of disaster or of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property within the state caused by such conditions as air pollution, fire, flood, storm, epidemic, pandemic, riot, drought, sudden and severe energy shortage, plant or animal infestation or disease, the Governor's warning of an earthquake or volcanic prediction, or other conditions, other than conditions resulting from a labor controversy or conditions causing a state of war emergency, which conditions, by reason of their magnitude, are or are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of any single county, city and county, or city and require the combined forces of a mutual aid region or regions to combat, or with respect to regulated energy utilities, a sudden and severe energy shortage requires extraordinary measures beyond the authority vested in the State Public Utilities Commission. State of War Emergency, as used in this chapter, shall mean the condition which exists immediately, with or without a proclamation thereof by the Governor, whenever this State or Nation is attacked by an enemy of the United States, or upon receipt by the State of a warning from the Federal government indicating that such an enemy attack is probable or imminent.

(Ord. 7362 § 2, 2017; Ord. 7115 § 1, 2011; Ord. 6354 § 1, 1997; Ord. 3948 § 1 (part), 1972)