1297, Emergency_Hurricane Helene_Police Chief_Emergency Managment Official ORDINANCE NO. 1297
AN EMERGENCY ORDINANCE ENACTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
• OKEECHOBEE, FLORIDA, DESIGNATING THE CHIEF OF POLICE AS THE EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT OFFICIAL FOR THE CITY OF OKEECHOBEE; PROVIDING FOR THE CHIEF OF
POLICE TO DECLARE,WHEN NECESSARY,A 72-HOUR STATE OF EMERGENCY WITHIN THE
CITY OF OKEECHOBEE DUE TO THE PREDICTED PATH OF SUBTROPICAL
STORM/HURRICANE HELENE; PROVIDING FOR ACCEPTING THE RECOMMENDATION BY
THE CHIEF OF POLICE TO EXTEND THE 72-HOUR DECLARATION; PROVIDING FOR
DECLARATION TO CONTINUE FOR AN INDEFINITE PERIOD OF TIME AS DEEMED
APPROPRIATE BY THE CHIEF OF POLICE; PROVIDING FOR AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY
MEASURES; PROVIDING FOR DISCRETIONARY EMERGENCY MEASURES; PROVIDING FOR
FILING DECLARATIONS AND MEASURES IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK AND
PUBLICATION TO NEWS MEDIA; PROVIDING FOR VIOLATIONS; PROVIDING FOR CONFLICT;
PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, the City of Okeechobee, Florida, a municipality under the laws of the State of Florida, is empowered by
Florida Statute 870.043 to declare the existence of an emergency within the City when in the opinion of the
Chief of Police.the person designated by Florida Statute 870.042 as the Emergency Management Official for
the City of Okeechobee; that a situation exists that potentially constitutes an imminent threat to public safety,
peace or order. and threat to public and private property or persons; and
WHEREAS, the City of Okeechobee has been included in the State of Emergency by Amended Executive Order 24-
208, issued by Governor DeSantis, on September 24, 2024. The State of Florida Emergency Management
Services and the National Weather Center has determined due to the weather systems size. the
accompanying storm surge, wind, and rainfall impacts will extend well away from its center, and the father
forward approach of this system will likely result in farther inland penetration of strong winds even after
landfall; and
WHEREAS. the arterial roadways serving as Hurricane Evacuation routes crosses through the City of Okeechobee,
impacting traffic through the City prior to Subtropical Storm/Hurricane Helene making landfall. The system is
forecasted to continue strengthening to be a large and powerful storm. It is forecasted for the City of
Okeechobee to have significant rain and weather-related impacts in the late afternoon on approximately
Thursday. September 26, 2024. Such storm is capable of inflicting serious loss of property and or lives; and
WHEREAS,the track of the storm is uncertain, but due to its present forward motion, is expected to cause sustained
winds, rain, and potential for damage for a time period in excess of that 72-hour period permitted to be
imposed by the Chief of Police; and
WHEREAS, the City Council is permitted to adopt ordinances on an emergency basis with one reading, by virtue of
Florida Statute 166.041(3)(b), and has taken all reasonable steps to advertise to the general public that an
Emergency Public Hearing will be conducted at 8:30 a.m., or as soon thereafter as possible on Thursday,
September 26, 2024.
NOW, THEREFORE, in order to preserve the peace and order within the City; to monitor and prevent civil unrest,
looting or other unlawful conduct;to permit repair of utility and municipal services, clean up and restoration of
basic services; and to assist in the protection of life and property, the City Council, by a minimum of a two-
thirds vote, adopts the following emergency Ordinance to be effective throughout the municipal boundaries:
1. THAT the Chief of Police is hereby designated the Emergency Management Official for the City of
Okeechobee under Florida Statute 870.042, possessing the authority to enact a State of Emergency
within the municipal boundaries of the City, or parts thereof.
2. THAT the State of Emergency shall commence immediately upon the declaration by the Chief of
Police and shall terminate at the end of a period of 72 consecutive hours thereafter unless, prior to
the end of such 72-hour period, the State of Emergency is terminated by the Chief of Police,
Governor of the State of Florida, or City Council as provided in Florida Statute 870.047.
3. THAT at the request and recommendation of the Chief of Police,the City Council hereby authorizes
• the extension of the state of emergency for a time period in excess of 72-hours if deemed necessary
by the Chief of Police, and to continue for such time period until terminated by the Chief of Police.
Governor of the State of Florida, or City Council.
4. THAT pursuant to Florida Statute 870.044. for the duration of any declared State of Emergency or
extension thereof, and effective immediately upon the declaration, the following acts shall be
prohibited:
Ordinance No. 1297, Page 1 of 2
a. The sale of,or offer to sell,with or without consideration,any ammunition or gun or other firearm
of any size or description.
b. The intentional display, by or in any store or shop, of any ammunition or gun or other firearm of
any size or description.
c. The intentional possession in a public place of a firearm by any person,except a duly authorized
law enforcement official or person in military service acting in the official performance of their
duty.
5. THAT pursuant to Florida Statute 870.045, the Chief of Police, in addition for the duration of the
declaration or extension thereof, may enact in his discretion as necessary, all or any of the following
additional emergency measures, in whole or in part,with such limitations and conditions as he may
deem appropriate:
a. The establishment of curfews, including but not limited to, the prohibiting of or restricting
pedestrian and vehicular movement, standing, and parking, except for the provisions of
designated essential services such as fire, police, and hospital services, including the
transportation of patients thereto, utility emergency repairs,and emergency calls by physicians.
b. Prohibiting the sale or distribution of any alcoholic beverage, with or without the payment or
consideration.
c. Prohibiting the possession of any person in a public place of any portable container containing
any alcoholic beverage.
d. The closing of places of public assemblage with designated exceptions.
e. Prohibit the sale or other transfer of possession,with or without consideration,of gasoline or any
other flammable substance or combustible liquid altogether or except by delivery into a tank
properly affixed to an operable motor-driven vehicle, bike, scooter, boat, or airplane and
necessary for the propulsion thereof.
f. Prohibit the possession in a public place of any portable container containing gasoline or any
other flammable or combustible liquid.
6. THAT pursuant to Florida Statute 870.048, it is declared that any violation of the declaration or of any
emergency measure established,shall be punished as a misdemeanor of the first degree,punishable
as provided in Florida Statutes 775.082 or 775.083,and enforced as deemed necessary by the Chief
of Police, or his designee or Officers.
7. THAT any State of Emergency or emergency measure declared or ordered and promulgated by
virtue of the terms of Florida Statutes 870.041 through 870.045,the Chief of Police shall as promptly
as practicable,file a copy in the Office of the City Clerk and deliver copies to appropriate news media
for public and radio and television broadcast thereof. If practicable, such state of emergency
declaration,emergency measure or extension there of shall be published by other means such as by
posting and loudspeakers.
8. THAT all ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith are hereby repealed.
9. THAT if any provision or portion of this ordinance is declared by any court of competent jurisdiction to
be void, unconstitutional, or unenforceable, then all remaining provisions and portions of this
ordinance shall remain in full force and effect.
10. THAT this Ordinance shall be effective immediately upon its adoption.
INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED at First Reading and Emergency Public Hearing on this 26th day of September,
2024, pursuant to Florida Statute 163.041(3)(b).
0.-R t CM • l'teJe
Monica M. Clark, Vice Mayor
ATTEST:
Lane amiotea, C C, City Clerk
REVIEWED FOR LEGAL SUFFICIENCY:
John J. F o, City Attorney •
Nason Yeager Gerson Harris & Fumero, P.A.
Ordinance No. 1297, Page 2 of 2