Staff briefs council on mayoral emergency powers, policy group and community preparedness

Emergency management staff walked council members through local response roles, mayoral authority and steps residents should take to prepare for disasters.

“1 is declare a disaster. And when she declares a disaster, it is effective when it is disseminated to the public,” staff member Yasmin Kamana said, describing the mayors authority under city policy and municipal code. Kamana told council members the mayor can also issue orders to maintain peace and public safety during a declared emergency and that the council may extend or terminate a declaration after 30 days.

Kamana described the citys policy group and how, when activated, it prioritizes resources, coordinates communications and stands up the emergency operations center (EOC). She urged council members to share consistent messages with constituents during incidents, to defer media requests to the communications team when they have not been briefed, and to call emergency meetings if policies or codes require immediate council action.

She also highlighted local preparedness programs: the citys comprehensive emergency management plan (completed last year), the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) volunteer training run locally by a volunteer, and the practical recommendation that households plan to be self-sufficient for a minimum of 96 hours after a major earthquake.

Kamana closed by stressing the value of preparation: “Preparedness is the fastest way to recovery,” and invited council members to participate in training or request materials for constituents.