Every officer, agent or employee of the city, 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 hereby 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 by the provider of such emergency service to contribute to preserving any lives or property. This article shall prevail over every other ordinance 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 article. Neither the city nor the employees, agents or officers thereof, shall be liable for failure to use ordinary care in such emergency. It is the intent of city council, by passing this article, to assure effective action in emergency situations by those entrusted with the responsibility of saving lives and property by protecting such government units from liability and their employees, agents and officers from non-intentional tort liability to the fullest extent permitted by statutory and constitutional law. This article shall be liberally construed to carry out the intent of city government. (Ordinance 894 adopted 11/16/98)