[HISTORY: Adopted by the Council of the City of Coatesville 10-28-1996 as Ord. No. 1034-96. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Administration of government — See Ch. 5.
Police Department — See Ch. 44.
Hazardous material spills — See Ch. 132.
The Council of the City of Coatesville hereby empowers the President of City Council or, in the absence of the President, the Vice President of City Council, as follows: Upon the request of the City Manager or Emergency Management Coordinator or their designated representative, to declare a state of emergency, stating the nature and extent of the emergency; and to have prepared, within seven (7) days of said declaration, an ordinance pursuant to Section 2-309 of the Home Rule Charter for ratification by the City Council.
The Council of the City of Coatesville empowers the City Manager or a designated representative, in a state of emergency declared in accordance with § 19-1 hereof, to act as follows:
A. 
To enter into contracts, incur obligations, employ temporary personnel, rent equipment, purchase supplies and materials and expend public funds as necessary to disaster emergency management, response and recovery without regard to the normal procedures and formalities prescribed by law.
B. 
To direct, coordinate and supervise all personnel and equipment except as prescribed by law, for the purpose of emergency management, response and recovery; and to promulgate procedures, rules and regulations as necessary to address the disaster emergency response and recovery.
C. 
To request outside and higher jurisdiction assistance as needed or provided by City Council, approved mutual aid agreements or applicable law.
D. 
To activate an emergency operations center and the Community Response Plan, as necessary, to address the emergency.
The Council for the City of Coatesville hereby establishes and empowers the following:
A. 
The Emergency Management Coordinator shall be a person appointed by the President of City Council, subject to the approval of the Council of the City of Coatesville and the Governor of the commonwealth. Said person shall be considered an employee and official of the City of Coatesville, knowledgeable in facets of emergency management and response. Responsibilities shall include planning, administration and operations of the Community Response Plan, subject to the direction and control of the City Manager.
B. 
Emergency Response Team.
(1) 
An Emergency Response Team shall be formed to provide a broad authoritative and experienced leadership essential to effective action in major emergencies. The team shall include the President of the City Council, the City Manager, the Assistant City Manager, the Emergency Management Coordinator, Police Chief, Fire Chief, Finance Director, Public Works Director and other representatives as determined by the City Council.
(2) 
The Emergency Response Team shall be chaired by the President of the City Council and shall provide the base of information and advice for direction, control and coordination of emergency management. This team shall formulate, in accordance with 35 Pa.C.S.A. § 7301 et seq., the Commonwealth Response Plan, which shall delineate and become the formal operations manual for disaster emergency management, response and recovery.
(3) 
The Coatesville Response Team shall establish an emergency operations center and necessary alternative sites for the responsibility of coordinating and directing emergency management, response and recovery. Within the exigencies of appropriations, the center will be supplied with materials and supplies, equipment and staff in preparation to address a disaster emergency situation.
The City Council of the City of Coatesville empowers the foregoing designated officials as follows: to take all necessary steps not prescribed by law to effectuate an immediate and timely response to a disaster emergency in order to mitigate or prevent loss of property or life, to protect the health and safety of the citizens and to permit operation and use of essential public facilities and services. Said steps shall include but are not limited to control and authorization of all parties' ingress, egress and regress at any disaster emergency scene; authorization to move or order to be moved personal property, including vehicles that impede or prevent emergency management operations; authorization to remove or order to be removed property that presents a clear and imminent hazard; and to carry out all powers and duties as provided and authorized by the Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania pursuant to 35 Pa.C.S.A. § 7301 et seq.