Cap. 411 Art. 3Establishment of Department.

There shall be a Civil Protection Department which shall be a department of Government headed by the Director General of

Civil Protection and which shall have the functions set out in article

4.

*see also transitory provision in article 20 of Act IV of 2015.

(b) to organise and co-ordinate training facilities and courses for personnel that may be required in a national or regional disaster or in an emergency as aforesaid, in accordance with the provisions of the Academy of Disciplined Forces Act:", and immediately thereafter there shall be added the following new proviso: Provided that training which does not fall within the scope of the Academy of Disciplined Forces Act may be provided subject to a written approval from the Academy;

(c) to establish the infrastructural set-up required to ensure co-ordination between the various departments of Government, local councils and non-governmental organisations which can be called upon to respond in a national or regional disaster or in an emergency as aforesaid;

(d) to establish general guidelines in relation to vulnerability and risk assessment studies: Provided that, the responsibility for the carrying out of vulnerability and risk assessments in relation to such public events, shall always lie on the organizer, notwithstanding the guidelines that the Department of Civil Protection may from time to time establish;

(e) to promote public awareness of civil protection issues;

(f) to maintain an assistance and rescue force;

(g) to prepare regulations under this Act and under the Emergency Powers Act that may be required to respond to a national or regional disaster or an emergency as aforesaid;

(h) in general to perform such other functions in connection with civil protection as the Minister may from time to time assign to it;

(i) to take all necessary action, initiatives and setting of standards and code of practice as well as inspect and enforce regulations made in accordance with this Act for the prevention of fire in buildings of whatever nature, use or dimension; and

(j) make and enforce regulations in relation to health and safety procedures in activities to be listed in regulations made under this Act wherein the public attends. follows:

(a) a number of representative members, being not more than five, who shall be chosen from amongst public officers occupying a senior position and performing duties in the ministries responsible for public works, environment, telecommunication and transport services, health services, economic affairs, fuel and energy affairs, and Gozo affairs and;

(b) one member who shall be chosen from amongst persons having knowledge and experience in matters relating to civil protection after consultations with representatives of voluntary organisations concerned with such matters.

(2A) One member shall be appointed by the Local Councils Association established in terms of regulation 3 of the Local Councils (Association) Regulations.

(3) The Chairman shall be the Minister responsible for Civil Protection and the Deputy Chairman shall be the Permanent Secretary in the same Ministry, and the Commissioner of Police, the Commander Armed Forces, the Head Security Service, and the Director General of Civil Protection shall be ex officio members.

(4) The appointed members shall hold office for such term, not being more than three years, as may be specified in their letter of appointment.

(5) Where the seat of any appointed member is vacated before the expiration of the term fixed in his letter of appointment, the Prime Minister shall appoint another person to replace such member for such term, not being a term of more than three years, as the Prime Minister may specify in his letter of appointment.

Provided that the Council may act notwithstanding any such vacancy.

(6) The Deputy Chairman shall act instead of the Chairman whenever the Chairman is absent from a meeting of the Council or is unable to act as Chairman for any reason.

(7) Notwithstanding any other provision of this article the Prime Minister may at any time terminate the appointment of an appointed member, if in his opinion such appointed member is unfit to continue in office or has become incapable of properly performing his functions.

(8) The Director General of Civil Protection shall act as secretary of the Council.

(9) The Council shall meet as often as necessary but in no case less frequently than once in every three calendar months.

(10) The Council shall regulate its own proceedings. competence the carrying out of and preparations for the civil protection tasks required in the event of a public emergency or disaster;

(c) to advise and recommend to the Minister the appropriate person, based on his special personal qualities of decision making, competencies and experience, to act as commander and overall national co-ordinator of civil protection services and measures in any particular emergency or disaster;

(d) to approve contingency plans and associated guidelines and codes relating to public emergencies and disasters;

(e) to monitor the workings of the Department of Civil Protection;

(f) to advise the Minister on any measures that afford protection to the public in the event of a public emergency or a disaster;

(g) to encourage and support at national and local level general emergency preparedness capable of responding to all kinds of emergencies, whatever the cause;

(h) to co-ordinate and encourage the development of civil protection voluntary organisations.

(2) (a) For the purposes of sub-article (1)(d) and (f), there shall be a Strategic Committee made up of the Director General, Civil Protection, and representatives of the Ministry responsible for Civil Protection, as appointed by the Minister, as well as other members from the Department and other entities as may be appointed by the Minister from time to time in consultation with the entity concerned.

(b) The Committee shall be responsible for the drafting of standard operating procedures and other documents relating to emergency response.

(3) The Council may, with the concurrence of the Minister, from time to time establish such advisory commissions as it may consider necessary to assist it in its functions; any such commission shall have an advisory and consultative function, and its findings or recommendations shall not be binding on the Council or the Minister.