“Absent” means not physically present or not able to be communicated with for 12 hours, or, during an emergency, such shorter period of time as determined by the Mayor, or his successor, on a case-by-case basis. Absent does not include a person who can be communicated with via telephone, radio, or telecommunications.

“Attack” means a nuclear, conventional, biological, or chemical warfare action against the United States of America or the State of Utah.

“Disaster” means a situation causing, or threatening to cause, widespread damage, social disruption, or injury or loss of life or property resulting from attack, internal disturbance, natural phenomenon, or technological hazard.

“Emergency interim successor” means a person designated by this chapter to exercise the powers and discharge the duties of an office when the person legally exercising the powers and duties of the office is unavailable.

“Executive director” means the person with ultimate responsibility for managing and overseeing the operations of each department, however denominated.

“Internal disturbance” means a riot, prison break, disruptive terrorism, or strike.

“Natural Phenomenon” means earthquake, tornado, storm, flood, landslide, avalanche, forest or range fire, drought, epidemic, or other catastrophic event.

“Office” includes all city offices, the powers and duties of which are defined by constitution, statutes, charters, optional plans, ordinances, articles, or by-laws, including all heads of departments.

“Place of governance” means the physical location where the powers of an office are being exercised.

“Political subdivision officer” means a person holding an office in the city.

“Technological hazard” means any hazardous materials accident, mine accident, train derailment, air crash, radiation incident, pollution, structural fire, or explosion.

“Unavailable” means absent from the place of governance during a disaster that seriously disrupts normal governmental operations, whether or not that absence or inability would give rise to a vacancy under existing constitutional or statutory provisions.