(a) The director and the State Public Health Officer may jointly appoint a regional disaster medical and health coordinator for each mutual aid region of the state. A regional disaster medical and health coordinator shall be either a county health officer, a county coordinator of emergency services, an administrator of a local EMS agency, or a medical director of a local EMS agency. Appointees shall be chosen from among persons nominated by a majority vote of the local health officers in a mutual aid region.

(b) In the event of a major disaster which results in a proclamation of emergency by the Governor, and in the need to deliver medical or public and environmental health mutual aid to the area affected by the disaster, at the request of the authority, the State Department of Public Health, or the Office of Emergency Services, a regional disaster medical and health coordinator in a region unaffected by the disaster may coordinate the acquisition of requested mutual aid resources from the jurisdictions in the region.

(c) A regional disaster medical and health coordinator may develop plans for the provision of medical or public health mutual aid among the counties in the region.

(d) No person may be required to serve as a regional disaster medical and health coordinator. No state compensation shall be paid for a regional disaster medical and health coordinator position, except as determined appropriate by the state, if funds become available.

(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 352, Sec. 335. (AB 1317) Effective September 26, 2013. Operative July 1, 2013, by Sec. 543 of Ch. 352.)