The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

City manager means the city manager of the City or the manager's designee.

Director means the person appointed by the city manager to head the office of emergency management.

Disaster means an occurrence or imminent threat of widespread or severe damage, injury and loss of life or property resulting from any natural or manmade cause, including but not limited to fire, flood, earthquake, wind, storm, nuclear incident, epidemic, blight, drought, infestation, explosion, aircraft crash, riot, chemical or oil spill or other contamination of air or water requiring immediate action to avert danger or damage or any other declared disaster that requires the aid and assistance of outside, local, state or federal agencies.

Disaster emergency services means services designed to carry out the basic essential government functions of maintaining public peace, health and safety during a disaster.

Disaster forces means the employees, equipment and facilities of the city departments, boards and commissions and in addition it includes mutual aid agencies, state and federal agencies, public entities, private enterprises, volunteer personnel, equipment and facilities contributed by anyone or requested by the City.

Disaster volunteer means any person duly registered, identified and appointed by the director of the office of disaster emergency services assigned and authorized to participate in disaster emergency operations of the city without remuneration.

Emergency means a threat to the health, safety or welfare of an area of the City or a group of citizens, but not of such magnitude and severity as to constitute a disaster, and includes but is not limited to fire, flood, water and power shortages, explosions, contaminations and civil disturbances involving three or more persons acting together accompanied by violence or threat of imminent force.

Regulations means proclamations, rules, standard operating procedures and other disaster and emergency procedures deemed essential to disaster planning and coordination of disaster emergency services.

Volunteer means anyone contributing a service, equipment or facilities to the disaster emergency services of the city without remuneration. (Code 1979, § 12-13)