Price County, WI Chapter 55 Emergency Management

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of Price County 2-20-2007 by Ord. No. 1-07. Amendments noted where applicable.]

§ 55-1 Policy and purpose.

To ensure that the County of Price and its subdivisions will be prepared to cope with emergencies resulting from enemy action and natural or man-made disasters, an Office of Emergency Management and position of Emergency Management Coordinator are created to carry out the purposes set out in Ch. 323, Wis. Stats.

§ 55-2 Definitions.

As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

All those activities and measures designed or undertaken to:

A. Minimize the effects upon the civilian population caused or that would be caused by enemy action and natural or man-made disasters;

B. Deal with the immediate emergency conditions which could be created by such enemy action and natural or man-made disasters; and

C. Effectuate emergency repairs to, or the emergency restoration of, vital public utilities and facilities destroyed or damaged by such enemy action and natural or man-made disasters.

ENEMY ACTION

Any hostile action taken which threatens the security of the County of Price.[1]

MUNICIPAL and MUNICIPALITY

Includes all cities, villages and townships located in Price County.

NATURAL OR MAN-MADE DISASTER

Includes all other extraordinary misfortunes affecting the County, natural or man-made, not included in the term "enemy action."

[1] Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).

§ 55-3 Emergency Management Committee.

A. How constituted. As provided in § 323.14(1)(a)3, Wis. Stats., the County Board shall designate a committee of the Board as a County Emergency Management Committee whose Chairperson shall be a member of the Committee designated by the Chairperson of the County Board.

B. Duties of the County Emergency Management Committee. The County Emergency Management Committee shall be an advisory and planning group and shall advise the County Emergency Management Coordinator and the County Board of Supervisors on all matters pertaining to emergency management. It shall meet upon call of the Chairperson.

§ 55-4 Emergency Management Coordinator.

A. Coordinator. There is hereby created the Price County Office of Emergency Management. The Emergency Management Coordinator shall be recommended by the Committee of Jurisdiction for appointment by the County Board. The County Emergency Management Coordinator shall also hold the office of Emergency Management Coordinator of such municipalities of Price County as may hereafter enact a joint action ordinance parallel to this chapter. In addition to his/her duties as County Emergency Management Coordinator, he/she shall have the additional duties and responsibilities of a municipal emergency management coordinator as provided for in Wisconsin Statutes.[1]

[1] Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).

B. Appointment, term and statutory provision.

(1) Appointment and term. The Emergency Management Coordinator shall be appointed in accordance with the standard employment procedures as used by the County Board. The term of the Price County Emergency Management Coordinator shall be at the pleasure of the County Board.

(2) Statutory provision. The provisions of emergency management in Wisconsin Statutes, relating to personnel, shall apply to the selection of the Coordinator and his/her staff.

C. Status. The Emergency Management Coordinator shall be considered to be an employee of the County, not under civil service, and shall be granted all of the rights, privileges and benefits afforded to other County employees per the Price County Personnel Policies.

D. Municipal Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator.

(1) Each municipality passing a joint action ordinance with the County may appoint a Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator.

(2) The Municipal Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator will operate under the administrative direction of the County Emergency Management Coordinator.

(3) Remuneration, if any, for the Municipal Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator will be determined and paid for by the governing body of that municipality.

§ 55-5 Sharing of costs.

A. Office and staff. The Price County Board shall provide office furniture, administrative support and such office supplies as may be necessary to carry out the functions of the County Emergency Management Coordinator, and the cost thereof shall be carried by the County of Price.

B. Major equipment and services. Costs of equipment and services provided by Price County shall be borne 100% by the municipal government requesting such equipment or service. Any federal or state funds received by Price County in offset of these expenditures shall be returned to the treasurer of the municipality procuring such equipment or services.

§ 55-6 Joint action meetings.

Whenever it is deemed necessary by either the County Emergency Management Committee or a municipality participating in joint action, there shall be a joint meeting of the committees to decide such matters as may arise.

§ 55-7 Duties of Emergency Management Coordinator.

A. County-wide duties. The Coordinator, in his/her capacity as County Coordinator, subject to the control and direction of the County Emergency Management Committee and under the general supervision of the County Board, shall:

(1) Develop, maintain and promulgate emergency management plans consistent with state plans, direct the emergency management program and perform such other duties related to emergency management as required by the governing body.

(2) Coordinate and assist in developing town, municipal, school, nursing home, hospital, public health, fire, law enforcement and EMS management plans and programs within the County and integrate such plans and programs with the County.

(3) Direct and coordinate County-wide emergency management training programs and exercises.

(4) Direct participation in emergency management programs and exercises as ordered by the State of Wisconsin and required by Price County.

(5) Advise the regional Wisconsin emergency management administrator of all emergency management planning for the County and render such reports as may be required by the state administrator.

(6) In case of a state of emergency proclaimed by the Governor, coordinate the County's and joint action municipalities' emergency management activities within the County, subject to the coordinating authority of the state administrator.

(7) Perform such other duties relating to emergency management as may be required by the County Board.

B. Municipal duties. The Coordinator, in his/her capacity as coordinator for any municipality participating in joint action, shall:

(1) Coordinate the municipal emergency management organization.

(2) Develop, promulgate, and integrate in the County plan emergency management plans for the operating services of the municipality.

(3) Direct participation of the municipality in such emergency management training programs and exercises as may be required on the County level by the state administrator.

(4) Coordinate the municipal emergency management training programs and exercises.

(5) Perform all administrative duties necessary for the rendering of reports and procurement of matching state and federal funds for each municipality.

(6) In case of a state of emergency proclaimed by the Governor, coordinate the activities of the municipal emergency management organization.

(7) Perform such other duties, relating to emergency management, as may be required by the municipal governing body.

§ 55-8 Utilization of existing services and facilities.

A. Policy. In preparing and executing the emergency management program, the services, equipment, supplies and facilities of the existing departments and agencies of the County shall be utilized to the maximum extent practicable, and the officers and personnel of all such departments and agencies are directed to cooperate with and extend such services and facilities as are required of them.

B. Responsibility. In order to assure that in the event of an emergency all the facilities of the existing County government are expanded to the fullest to meet such emergency, all department heads will fulfill emergency and nonemergency duties as assigned under the County Emergency Operations Plan. The Emergency Management Coordinator will assist them in organizing and planning for the expansion of their departments prior to and during an emergency and for recruiting necessary emergency management volunteers to supplement regular department employees. Nothing in this section shall be construed so as to limit the Emergency Management Coordinator from immediately commencing organizational and planning programs as required by the Emergency Operations Plan adopted by the Price County Board of Supervisors.

C. Joint action. Municipalities entering into joint action with Price County will provide for utilization of existing services of municipal government by enactment of an ordinance parallel to this section.

§ 55-9 Other emergencies.

A. Joint action municipalities. In the event of the Governor determining that an emergency exists growing out of natural or man-made disasters, the County Emergency Management Coordinator will activate and coordinate the emergency management services at the appropriate level of government affected by the emergency.

B. Non-joint-action municipalities. In the event of a natural or man-made disaster, the County Coordinator will coordinate the municipalities affected and render such assistance as is required and available from County resources.

§ 55-10 Violations and penalties.

It shall be unlawful for any person willfully to obstruct, hinder, or delay any member of the emergency management organization in the enforcement of any order, rule, regulation or plan issued pursuant to the authority contained in this chapter. Whoever intentionally fails to comply with the directives of emergency management authorities promulgated under this section during a state of emergency or during any training program or exercises may be fined as provided in Chapter 290 of the County Code or imprisoned not more than 90 days, or both.