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AN ORDINANCE TO ENACT A NEW SECTION, NUMBERED 13-62, OF THE <br />CODE OF THE CITY OF PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA (1988) DEALING WITH <br />EVACUATION OF BUILDINGS. <br /> <br /> BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the City of Portsmouth, <br />Virginia: <br /> <br /> 1. That Section 13-62 of the Code of the City of <br />Portsmouth {1988} is hereby enacted as follows: <br /> <br />Sec. 13-62. Evacuation of buildings. <br /> <br /> (a) For any emergency incident in which there is imminent <br />danger or the actual occurrence of fire, explosion, the release <br />of hazardous materials, radiation, chemical or biological <br />agent, or other danger of like kind, the fire official in <br />charge shall have the authority to (i) maintain order at such <br />emergency incident or its vicinity; (ii) require the evacuation <br />of any affected building or buildings; (iii) keep bystanders or <br />other persons at a safe distance from the incident and from <br />emergency equipment; (iv) until the arrival of a police <br />officer, direct and control the movement of traffic and <br />pedestrians; and (v) determine when any or all of said <br />emergency control measures should be lessened or terminated. <br /> <br /> (b) If a police officer is the first to arrive at an <br />emergency incident, he may, if authorized by the Police Chief, <br />the Deputy Police Chief, or the Shift Commander, exercise any <br />or all of the powers set forth in subsection (A) until the <br />arrival of a fire official, at which time the fire official <br />shall be in command of the emergency incident. <br /> <br /> (c) When an emergency incident involves a suspected bomb <br />or explosive device, it shall be the responsibility of the Fire <br />Department to notify state or federal bomb disposal <br />authorities. <br /> <br /> (d) It shall be unlawful for any person to disobey an <br />order of a police or fire official displaying a badge of <br />authority and acting pursuant to this section, and any such <br />person may be arrested forthwith by any police or fire official <br />who witnesses the violation. <br /> <br /> (e) The authority granted under this section may not be <br />exercised so as to inhibit or to obstruct members of <br />law-enforcement agencies or emergency medical services <br />personnel from performing their lawful duties at such emergency <br />incident. <br /> <br /> 2. That this ordinance shall take effect on the date of <br />its adoption. <br /> <br /> <br />