KRS 39B.050: Local disaster and emergency services organization -- Membership --

Responsibility.

(1) Each local emergency management director shall establish and maintain a local

disaster and emergency services organization in accordance with a city or county or

city/county or joint counties emergency operations plan required pursuant to KRS

Chapters 39A to 39F. The local disaster and emergency services organization shall

be comprised of the following members and participants:

(a) The county judge/executive, or chi ef executive officers when counties are

acting jointly under KRS 39B.010, and mayors, or the chief executive of other

local governments;

(b) Elected legislative officials of the county and cities;

(c) The local emergency management director and all local e mergency

management agency staff members and workers, or emergency management

agency-supervised operating units or personnel;

(d) All regular or volunteer public safety or emergency services department heads

or agency chiefs in the cities or county;

(e) All regular or volunteer public safety or emergency services department or

agency members in the cities or county;

(f) All districts, corporations, public agencies, groups, or political subdivisions of

the state and special districts within the county or the cities thereof, which are

organized under the laws of the Commonwealth to provide an emergency

response service or related function in the interest of public safety; and

(g) All private sector personnel, agencies, organizations, companies, businesses,

or individuals and citizens who agree to provide their assets, resources,

talents, services, or supplies in aid to the local disaster and emergency services

organization of the cities or county in accordance with the approved local

emergency operations plan of the city, county, or counties acting jointly under

KRS 39B.010, urban-county government, or charter county government.

(2) The local disaster and emergency services organization shall have responsibility for

the performance of all disaster and emergency response functions contemplated in

KRS 39A.010, 39A.020, or 39A.030 and as listed or assigned in the city, county, or

counties acting jointly under KRS 39B.010, or city/county emergency operations

plan, except that the Division of Forestry of the Energy an d Environment Cabinet

shall have primary responsibility for directing the implementation of all forest fire

emergency responses consistent with KRS Chapter 149. Disaster and emergency

response functions may be assigned within the local disaster and emergen cy

services organization to existing agencies and organizations, public and private. It

shall not be necessary for the local disaster and emergency services organization to

create, provide, or maintain an additional or auxiliary capability for any existing

function or service deemed adequate to local needs.

(3) The local disaster and emergency services organization shall be the primary disaster

and emergency response force of city, county, or counties acting jointly under KRS

39B.010, urban -county governmen t, or charter county government and an

organizational component of the integrated emergency management system of the

Commonwealth. The local emergency management director shall have primary

responsibility for the coordination of all disaster and emergency response of the

local disaster and emergency services organization for an emergency, declared

emergency, disaster, or catastrophe.