§ 10-8. Standard of care for emergency action.

Every officer, agent, or employee of the city and every officer, agent, or employee of an authorized provider of emergency services, including, but not limited to every unit of government or subdivision thereof, while responding to emergency calls or reacting to emergency situations, regardless of whether any declaration of emergency has been declared or proclaimed by a unit of government or subdivision thereof, is authorized to act or not to act in such a manner to effectively deal with the emergency. An action or inaction is "effective" if it in any way contributes or can reasonably be thought to contribute to preserving any lives or property. This section shall prevail over every other chapter of the city and, to the extent to which the city has the authority to so authorize, over any other law establishing a standard of care in conflict with this section. Neither the city nor any of its employees, agents, or officers, nor other unit of government or government subdivision nor its employees, agents, or officers may be held liable for the failure to use ordinary care in such emergency. It is the intent of the city council, by amending this chapter, to assure effective action in emergency situations by those entrusted with the responsibility of saving lives and property by protecting such governmental units from liability, and their employees, agents, and officers from nonintentional tort liability to the fullest extent permitted by statutory and constitutional law. This section shall be liberally construed to carry out the intent of the city council.

(Ord. No. 7443, § 1, 3-25-99)