Director of Emergency Management and Homeland Security.
Milwaukee City Charter § 6-11
in effect6-11. Director of Emergency Management and Homeland Security.
The director shall serve as the manager of the emergency operations center and shall facilitate the coordination among city department and other levels of government when the center is activated.
1. The director shall direct the planning and training of all city departments relating to emergency management and homeland security. The director shall maintain liaison with and cooperate with emergency management and homeland security agencies and organizations of other political subdivisions within the state of Wisconsin, other states and the federal government, and shall have such additional administrative authority, duties and responsibilities as are delegated to him or her by the mayor or as may be granted by ordinance or resolution of the common council. The director shall not exercise command authority over any officer or employe in charge of any other city department.
2. The director may employ technical, clerical and other personnel, as the needs of the everyday emergency management and homeland security services require subject to the prior approval of the common council. Such personnel shall be selected or appointed according to existing ordinances and the procedures and rules of the city service commission or as otherwise provided by the common council.
3. The director shall prepare or cause to be prepared and maintain a comprehensive and current emergency response plan for emergency management, homeland security, and continuity of governmental operations plans for the city and its inhabitants. The plan shall be coordinated with the national incident command system and national response plan, and the plans of the state of Wisconsin and the county of Milwaukee.
4. The director shall, in accordance with the city's emergency response plan, procure, or cause to be procured, supplies and equipment and take and cause to be taken all other preparations for any future partial or full mobilization of emergency management and homeland security organizations in advance of a disaster, or for the imminent threat of a disaster to assure the availability of adequately trained and equipped forces of necessary emergency management and homeland security personnel in a period of emergency.
5. The director may recommend to the mayor appointments for emergency management and homeland security assignments of city officers or employes as may be necessary for an efficient emergency management and homeland security organization in addition to those expressly provided for in this chapter.
6. The director shall make, or cause to be made with the mayor's approval, studies and surveys of industries, resources, services and facilities in this city and surrounding political subdivisions as may be necessary to ascertain the capabilities of the city relative to emergency management and homeland security operations and to plan for use thereof.
7. The director shall be the central point for the news media, city employes, public officials and the public regarding the operations of city government during a period of emergency. The director shall also establish and maintain a public information program, consistent with the incident command system, to inform the public of protective measures planned or to be taken by the government during a period of emergency. The director shall inform the public to the maximum extent possible of the necessity of self-help and protection and keep the public informed of the availability of self-help and protection materials and publications.
8. The director may, with the prior approval of the mayor, authorize expenditures within the budgeted funds established or provided by either the common council or the state or federal government or other agencies, in carrying out the provisions of this chapter. Expenditures of such budgeted city funds shall be in accordance with ch. 65, Wis. Stats.
Source: City of Milwaukee Legislative Reference Bureau, Milwaukee City Charter and Code of Ordinances (city.milwaukee.gov master PDFs)URL: https://city.milwaukee.gov/ImageLibrary/Groups/ccClerk/Ordinances/City-Charter/Master-Charter.pdf#page=44Fetched: 10/26/2026