The following definitions apply to Chapters 3.124 through 3.126:

1. A.Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP) means a written document that describes the City’s overall emergency management plan. A CEMP specifies the purpose, organization, responsibilities and facilities of the agencies and officials of the City in the mitigation of, preparation for, response to, and recovery from emergencies and disasters.
2. B.Director means the director of the Portland Bureau of Emergency Management.
3. C.Emergency means any natural, technological or human-made, event or circumstance causing or threatening: widespread loss of life, injury to persons or property, harm to the environment, human suffering or economic loss, including but not limited to fire, wildfire, explosion, flood, severe weather, landslides or mud slides, drought, earthquake, volcanic activity, tsunamis or other oceanic phenomena, spills or releases of oil or hazardous material, contamination, utility or transportation emergencies, disease, blight, infestation, civil disturbance, riot, sabotage, cybersecurity incidents, acts of terrorism and war.
4. D.Emergency Coordination Center (ECC) means the centralized location where local officials gather during an emergency to coordinate emergency response activities and implement direction from the Mayor or Mayor’s delegate or successor under Chapter 15.08 of the Code.
5. E.Emergency management means an approach to prevent, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the effects of incidents.
6. F.Emergency notices means information that is disseminated primarily in anticipation of or during an emergency. In addition to providing situational information to the public, it frequently provides directive actions required to be taken by the general public.
7. G.Emergency plan means an ongoing plan for responding to a wide variety of potential hazards.
8. H.Incident means an occurrence, natural or human-made, that requires a response to protect life or property in an emergency.
9. I.National Incident Management System (NIMS) means the federal government’s standardized framework of doctrines, concepts, principles, terminology, and organizational processes for emergency management.
10. J.Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) means a plan that describes how a bureau will continue to perform its essential functions following an event that disrupts normal operations.

There is established by the City Council the Portland Bureau of Emergency Management (PBEM).

The purpose of PBEM is to centralize leadership and coordination of emergency management.

The Portland Bureau of Emergency Management will consist of the Director and such other positions as the Council may provide. The Director will be immediately responsible to the City Administrator.

Subject to the approval of the City Administrator, the Director of the Portland Bureau of Emergency Management’s duties and powers include, but are not limited to the following:

1. A. Overall administrative authority for the Office;
2. B. Serve as principal strategic advisor to the Mayor and City Administrator concerning emergency management;
3. C. Implement policy directives of the City Council and the Disaster Policy Council and enforce the schedules and plans approved by them;
4. D. Manage the Emergency Coordination Center (ECC), establishing the overall structure, roles, responsibilities and direction for the operation of the ECC and ensuring that the ECC is appropriately sited, staffed, equipped, and maintained. The Director may reassign employees to ECC duties as required;
5. E. Maintain written emergency plans, including all chapters, annexes and appendices of the Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP) and annually submit a report with any recommendations for revisions;
6. F. Maintain records documenting compliance with requirements of federal and state emergency management programs, including NIMS. When a bureau other than PBEM possesses such records, the bureau will immediately produce them upon the request of the Director;
7. G. Develop and implement training and exercise programs for responders that test the effectiveness of the CEMP and other emergency management plans;
8. H. Develop and implement processes, procedures, and systems for communicating emergency notices to the public and responders about incidents;
9. I. Develop and implement programs to educate the public about emergency preparedness, including volunteer programs, and train citizens to assist in emergencies;
10. J. Evaluate the effectiveness of the City’s response to an emergency event.

Subject to the approval of the City Administrator:

1. A. The Director may appoint an Operations Manager who is accountable to the Director and may appoint other personnel necessary to carry out the provisions of this Chapter, when in keeping with the adopted budget for PBEM or specially funded projects.
2. B. The Director may delegate to staff members any of the Director's duties.
3. C. In the event of an emergency, the line of succession for the PBEM is: the succession plan described in the Bureau’s COOP plan. 
4. D. When a succession occurs, all duties and responsibilities of the Director are transferred to the successor and any delegations remain in place unless withdrawn by the new Director.

The purpose of the Neighborhood Emergency Team Program is to prepare neighborhoods for self-sufficiency during an emergency by providing individuals with information, training, and exercises related to emergency preparedness and response.

1. A. As part of the Neighborhood Emergency Team Program, the Director, subject to the approval of the City Administrator, is authorized to:
   1. 1. Create Neighborhood Emergency Teams (NET) and define the qualifications for its membership;
   2. 2. Develop written processes and procedures governing the conduct of members;
   3. 3. Conduct or cause to be conducted such inquiries or investigations into the fitness of an individual to serve as a NET member that the Director believes are necessary and appropriate;
   4. 4. Conduct or approve of ongoing training for NET members;
   5. 5. Designate certain NET members as team leaders for the purpose of supervision;
   6. 6. Dismiss or remove NET members.
2. B. When acting as agents of the City, NET members are entitled to defense and indemnification pursuant to ORS 30.285.

1. A. All NET members will be immediately responsible to a team leader and thereafter the Director. Subject to the approval of the City Administrator, the Director may dismiss or remove a NET Leader.
2. B. NET leaders may designate one assistant for each five NET members or fraction thereof for purposes of maintaining adequate supervision of NET members during training or deployment.
3. C. NET leaders are responsible for the organization, ongoing training, communication with and operational safety of the NET members assigned to their teams.
4. D. NET leaders will attend regularly scheduled meetings for the purposes of training and communicating with NET members.
5. E. NET leaders will evaluate the performance of NET members and may recommend to the Director the dismissal or removal of NET members.