HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 03272001 - SD.5 ;TOy BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Contra
FROM: MARK DeSAULNIER
;,. . . Costa
DATE: MARCH 27, 2001
County
SUBJECT: EARTHQUAKE PREPAREDNESS MONTH AND PROGRAM
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. PROCLAIM April 2001 as "Earthquake Preparedness Month in Contra Costa County."
2. DIRECT the County Administrator, in consultation with the Office of Emergency
Services (OES), to reportback to the Board within 45 days the status of:
a. all current emergency preparedness programs and activities.
b. emergency plans for, and readiness status of, County departments and offices.
C. effectiveness of communication to County employees regarding their
responsibilities in a state of emergency.
d. public information programs that define the basic needs of every household to
make it possible to be self-sufficient for the first 72 hours after such an event,
including the updating of all existing printed emergency information and the
publicizing by OES of the availability of these materials.
e. broadcasting of earthquake preparedness information on local cable access
channels by Contra Costa Television, working with the IDES.
3. REFER to the.Internal Operations Committee of the Board, review of the County's
Earthquake Preparedness Plan for the purpose of identifying actions that might
enhance earthquake preparedness planning.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OE BOARD COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER I
SIGNATURE(S):
ACTION OF BOARD ON March 27 , 20O1 APPROVE AS RECOMMENDED XX OTHER XX
The Board APPROVED the above recommendations set forth above ;
and DIRECTED .that- cities which contract with the County be
consulted and included in preparedness plans .
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
XxUNANIMOUS(ABSENT - - - - -) AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE
AYES: NOES: SHOWN.
ABSENT: ABSTAIN:
ATTESTED March 27 , 2001
CONTACT: SUPERVISOR DeSAULNIER(925)646-5763 JOHN SWEETEN,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
CC: COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES
CONTRA COSTA TELEVISION
BY DEPUTY
M
1
t Earthquake Preparedness Month March 27, 2001
Mark DeSaulnier Page 2
BACKGROUND
Nearly twelve years ago the Bay Area had the ultimate seismic wakeup call from the Loma
Prieta Earthquake. Since that time we have watched the deadly impacts from quakes in
other parts of the world. Several weeks ago Seattle joined the long list of major disaster
areas. Although for decades scientists have looked ahead to the day when earthquake
prediction would be a reality, that day is not in sight. We do know that we live in a
seismically active area at a seismically active time. It is not a question of "if' but "when"
there will be a significant event.
It is our responsibility as county leaders to ensure that we have in place the best possible
emergency plan for county services to assist our people. The public must know what to
expect and how the plan will be implemented. Each Department and Office must have a plan
and all County workers must know what will be expected of them.
Further, we must encourage and guide individuals, households and institutions to evaluate
their ability to deal with the impacts of a major earthquake or other emergency. The positive
outcome of the Y2K experience was a heightened of awareness of the need to be self-
sufficient. People, as never before, began to think of being prepared. In the hours and days
following a crisis or emergency, public services will be devoted to those most in need. Many
of us may not fall under that category. We must be able to take care of ourselves, and if
possible, offer assistance to others.
While we join other jurisdictions in proclaiming April, 2001 as Earthquake Preparedness
Month in Contra Costa County we must seek to make our preparedness an ongoing every
day strategy.
The Office of Emergency Services
Presents
Board of Supervisors
A Report to The Contra Costa County i
EmergencyPreparedness / / /
Contra Costa CountyfIn
Office / / Sheriff
Emergency
, , , Division
• r
Office
/ Emergency
I / / /
v
rV
�/�v� / �l•r,r Tam �r4 v
Captain Scott Parsons
Emergency Services Director
Cliff Warrick
Office of Emergency Services
Mana
.a
Sy•'�`d' f r ` 1
a TI F :•\
n
�-
S ,
Contra Costa County
`. Emergency
Preparedness
z,
Program Review
.I
Office of Emergency Services
Captain Scott Parsons, OES Director
Cliff Warrick, OES Manager
= Overview
❖Mission
❖Organization
❖Threat Assessment
❖Current Programs and Activities
❖Employee and Citizen Preparedness
,'**Summary
1
ti
MISSION
❖ The Mission of the Office of Emergency Services is to protect
people, property, and the environment, and to provide for
continuity of government in Contra Costa County.
Preparedness(enabling individuals,governments,communities,and the
private sector to respond effectively to emergencies)
4,Mitigation(minimizing the damage caused by various hazards)
+Response(issuing warnings,mobilizing response agencies,and
coordinating resources and information during emergencies)
+Recovery(assisting individuals,governments.,communities,and the
private sector to restore public facilities,homes,and businesses after
disasters).
Organization 40
4S.fty...r
ervicea Division
ptain
.Parsons
Senior Clerk
Patrida AiresDaparCWS Manager
Al Guzman Vacant
Office of EmergencyServices Officer of The Day Volunteer Services Mutual Aid
Program Program Program Program
O.E.S.Manager(1) Lieutenants(5) Sergeant(1) Coordinator(1)
Cliff War ick Vacant Jin Cxoltlau Jerry Brady
Senior Emergency Planner(4) Chris Wenzel Deputy(1)
Eric mhof Afke Nerman Troy Finas
Frederick Williamson(90 Day LOA) AllanJohnson Volunteers(700+)
Tm Vacant Positions Peter SI-oro
Planning Specialist(1)
Pat Para(Aacal Lem)
Emergency Planner(2)
Ray Brunstram
Debbie Vanek
•
2
Hazards We Face
❖Earthquake Fault Lines
Ileo
n .
on
4 'oc
L
.+ 1
Le {{
veelMore
n
Earthquake Potential
-- O�Q a --—:– •8b: s 9
D �r '-r- •5 5 9
ba
-��, ted r ;6,3, .::, � .: `. ' •_ _
809
ds:•`1850:_ � _ _ _: - 6.1 .;%`, - ��� �ppp0�
BnK
�:0 9e
- - - c
k.'
EARTHCIUAKE MAGNITUDES
+?• '�Greater tlian 6.5` .�...,- :�., - ..�'. 6•
StID
G;Iricrueefrip'queke'odd>t'.�= -7.
�.r..::au:`::,r_v�.�:xd:::.•:i::�:�1=:::
•
3
Hazards We Face
*.**Landslide Areas
I le
4
4 OC
` OTIC a e
is
Le
•�� °j �` 6EiD'e
f - verfiore
•
Hazards We Face
❖Wildland Fires
I le
.a
a e oc
r
ore S
•
4
Hazards We Face
****Levee Failures and Flooding
Ile
.P
4 n R oc
s
r t
;; Le
-
verfflore
iT Hazards We Face %
•**•Hazardous Materials Facilities
OCa
,7y
'�p•� Le More
4 z�
•
5
Hazards We Face
❖Terrorism
Ile h
i
oPICO',L.a
Le i
y / e
vriAore 4.
•
Current Programs & Activities
❖Planning Efforts
+County/Operational Area Emergency Plan
Current Plan Is Not Useful and Does Not Comply With
State Guidance
rlRevised Plan Approximately 85%Complete
rt Detailed Hazard Analysis Underway
rlDraft EOC Checklists Completed and In Place
•
6
Current Programs & Activities
❖Training and Education
+Two Key Programs Underway
11 EOC Training -Targets Departments That Have
Assigned EOC Roles
tt Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS)
Training
+State Mandated Hazardous Materials Incident
Response Training For First Responders
=� Current Programs & Activities
❖Exercises
+Assisting and Participating In Exercises With
Cities, Special Districts, and Industry
4,Operational Area EOC Exercise Scheduled for
Fall 2001
u Training for EOC Staff and Exercise Controllers Will
Occur This Summer
•
7
Current Programs & Activities
****Operational Area Program
+ESA Establishes Each County As An Operational
Area.
+County Must Manage The Area Program
lz OES and The EOC Serve Two Roles
-Local Government Level for Unincorporated Areas
%Operational Area For Entire County
•
Current Programs & Activities
❖Operational Area Program (continued)
+ISSUE - The County/Operational Area EOC Is
Inadequate
�1 Current Facility Was Designed and Built Prior to SEMS
Operational Area Implementation
(ISSUE - Inadequate Communications Between
Operational Area Jurisdictions
):I Proposed 800 Megahertz Trunked Radio System Will
Improve Capability
4,-ISSUE - The EOC and Department Operations
Centers Need Access to GIS Mapping and
Information
8
@Emergency Plans and Readines
❖Department Programs
+Health Services
-Building Inspection
Office of The Sheriff
4 Department of Information Technology
aLounty Employee Responsibilitie
❖County New Employee Orientation
+Includes Information on State Disaster Service
Worker Program
*OES Is Working With the County Administrators
Office, to Add a Personal Preparedness Block to
This Program.
❖All Presentations Made By OES Include
Disaster Service Worker and Personal
Preparedness Information
9
Public Information Programs
•o•OES Assigned Staff to Each Sheriff's Area of
Command
+Staff Works With Each Jurisdiction in That Area
-4-Presentations to Community Groups, Special
Districts, etc.
•o•Information Handouts
+Provided By Federal Emergency Mangement
Agency, State OES, and Red Cross
+Locally Developed
Contra Costa Television
•°•Ongoing Relationship With CCTV
❖Joint OES/CAER School Preparedness
Workshop Videotaped and Being Run
v* OES Has Provided FEMA and State OES
Produced Video Tapes
10
Summary
❖County Faces Significant Threats
❖Ability of County to Respond and Recover
From Disasters Continues to Improve
❖Greatest Challenge - Emergency Operations
Center Facility
❖Most Departments Have Active Preparedness
Programs In Place
4:•Presentations Are Made to Employees and
Public Using Every Means Available
Questions?
C
dii%B y Anoih�er"`+1!oi el
.:c'^AWS., :
11
• Table of Contents
1. Introduction 2
2. Threat Assessment 2
Earthquakes: 2
Landslide Areas 4
Wildland Fires 5
Dam and Levee Failures 5
Hazardous Materials Incidents 5
Terrorism Incidents 6
3. Current Emergency Preparedness Programs and Activities 6
Planning: 6
Training/Education: 6
Exercises: 7
Operational Area Program Management: 7
4. Emergency Plans for, and Readiness Status of, County Departments and Offices 8
• Management and Oversight: 9
Examples of Department Programs: 9
5. Effectiveness of Communications to County Employees Regarding Their Responsibilities in
a State of Emergency 10
6. Public information programs that define the basic needs of every household to make it
possible to be self-sufficient for the first 72 hours after such an event Including the updating
of all existing printed emergency information and the publicizing by OES of the availability of
these materials 10
7. Broadcasting of earthquake preparedness information on local cable access channels by
Contra Costa Television, working with the OES 11
8. Summary 11
•
Board Report 1
i
• 1. Introduction
During the March 27f'Board of Supervisors Meeting, the County Administrator, in consultation
with the Office of Emergency Services, was tasked to report back to the Board within 45 days on
the status of
a. All current emergency preparedness programs and activities
b. Emergency plans for, and readiness status of, County departments and offices
c. Effectiveness of communications to County employees regarding their
responsibilities in a state of emergency
d. Public information programs that define the basic needs of every household to make
it possible to be self-sufficient for the first 72 hours after such an event. Including the
updating of all existing printed emergency information and the publicizing by OES of
the availability of these materials
e. Broadcasting of earthquake preparedness information on local cable access channels
by Contra Costa Television, working with the OES
This report responds to those questions, and provides our assessment of the threats we face, the
efforts underway to deal with those threats, and the status of preparedness of county government
to respond to these events.
2. Threat Assessment
• Contra Costa County is unique in the Bay Area, in that it faces virtually every type of natural and
technological disaster known to man. Many of the issues facing the county following an
earthquake also apply to other natural and technological disasters. We are providing our overall
assessment of each of these threats in order to establish how the activities currently underway
directly improve our ability to deal specifically with earthquakes.
Earthquakes:
The foremost natural disaster problem facing the county is the potential for a major earthquake.
Several active fault lines extend through the county. They include the Hayward Fault located in
the west end of the county, the Concord/Green Valley Fault located in the north central part of
the county, and the Calaveras Fault located in the south central part of the county.
The United State
Geological Survey
(USGS) office
r k 1 recently announced
y �T t' +�•' I.s •7r
r� ,,; �• r _. � � :•' ;,', that Mount Diablo
=.... . was formed by a
blind thrust fault,
which also remains
, +d •ass,Ys
active. There are
• .
numerous other
Board Report 2
i
• active splinter faults located throughout the county. Strong earthquakes on any of the other
major fault lines that exist in the greater Bay Area will have an effect on Contra Costa County. It
is likely that a mayor earthquake in the Bay Area would cause corollary "disasters"to occur,
including the possibility of major fires, dam failures, hazardous materials incidents, and failure
of lifeline utilities.
Last year,the US ----
Geological Survey 6.e 'a�O�an,s� e�6.+ . .4
e e e:- 8 •'
g I
Office announced its 6a e� �9 s
revised probability s� - g '°� s e'0 9� �+" 5.9 ,yid
estimates for a major
earthquake in the Bay r . y `.`:.,'^ 06 +o
Area. As this graphic I sB ;0.
shows, there is a 70
, 6.9 ,� oo Ike
percent Percent probabilityof a .
j9e9 °�e r 30
to O
6.7 or greater EAi1rHaUAKeMAGNITUDESgreto Z
earthquake within the ❑Gieeterthan6. l9 %ro 6 7 jI10�
next 30 years. This :❑Il.0 t—.9
graphic also shows the ❑ 55m9
seismic activity in the
Increasing quako odds=�
Bay Area since 1836. _
It is particularly important to note that following the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906;there
was almost no major activity until the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. During this"quiet" period,
the county experienced explosive growth in industry and population. As a result,the impacts of
another seven plus magnitude quake on Contra Costa County today could be catastrophic.
The Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) has published several studies on the
relationship of activity on various faults and their effects on housing and highways. Following a
Hayward fault HOUSING IMPACTS OF AN EARTHQUAKE ON THE
earthquake, other ENTIRE HAYWARD HAULT
counties will experience
greater total housing 260.000
losses. However, the
competition for the same
critical resources willa.
o '6°.00°
impact all Bay Area
jurisdictions. This will 100,0W
seriously impact our
50,000ability to manage the �~ -� �'
' problems we 0 � /�7� People Displaced
housing P ¢ ® Ll Peak Shelter Populatior
a
have. G°y �°t���a�a co e° Uninhabitable Units
5°oo�o�a
9a 6a g
•
Board Report 3
• A Concord/Green Valley
earthquake will have the HOUSING CONCORDGREEN VALLEY FAULT
UAKE N THE
greatest impact on Contra Costa
County. Compounding these
losses will be major disruptions
30,000
in transportation routes.
41
20,E
ABAG estimates over 220 d `
transportation system closures
in Contra Costa County
10,000
following a Hayward Fault
IO �
earthquake, and over 160 0 O , People Displaced
following a Concord/Greengds C'Qyea Peak Shelter Populatlor
ao 11 �,.,� G�g�° , a� Q Uninhabitable Units
Valley fault quake. All Bay P
Area toll bridges may be G ya�`�t yaP y vG So son°
affected, either directly or due
to closures of local roads
feeding the bridges. This may significantly impair our ability to obtain support and resources
from outside the county.
Landslide Areas
Large portions of Contra Costa County are subject to landslides, particularly during the rainy
season. The red highlighted areas on this map mark the areas prone to landslides. Significant
• development has. _...:.
occurred in these
areas. We have
experienced at
least one major
slide in the west
part of the county, = -
which destroyed
25 homes. Recent
slides have
affected only af`
few homes and s '�
have not generated
a disaster
declaration. As
development
continues in these areas, additional losses are likely to occur, with increased cost to the county.
Earthquakes in the Bay Area can trigger landslides in these areas, complicating our response and
recovery operations.
•
Board Report 4
• Wildland Fires
The Oakland Hills fire demonstrates the potential destruction we could experience. Many areas
of Contra Costa County contain similar vegetation, housing development, and road conditions as
the area that burned in Oakland. Under similar conditions,we could experience similar losses.
The Briones Park area is of particular concern. A rapidly developing fire pushed by "Diablo
Winds" could destroy portions of Lafayette and Orinda. Significant fires routinely follow major
earthquakes. The damage to the infrastructure (roads, water systems, etc.) will significantly
reduce our ability to deal effectively with these fire events.
Dam and Levee Failures
The eastern portion of Contra Costa County has several areas protected or formed by levees,
including Bethel Island and Discovery Bay. In addition, the county contains 27 dams that
threaten downstream o ulations. The largest are the San Pablo and Briones. The ossibility of
an earthquake i " NAZARU MAP
triggered dam ,� DAM INUNDATION AREAS
I ■ Briones
failure cannot be s„ ® Briones/San Pablo
ignored. This Nortn
❑ No/Briones/San Pablo
combination of r— ❑ Schapiro/Briones
❑ .Sch/BrionesiSan Pab
events would p Schapiro/Anna
severely task our ':'..: o Anza
emergency n=; NSan Pablo Clearwell
® AnzalBriones/San Pah
response `, O San Pablo
•
■ San Pablo/Anza
capability.
�' m Highways
o Streets
Source:ABAG,1995
This hazard map is
generalized from maps
dam owners are required
to prepare and file with
State OES. The map is
Intended for planning
only.Current version of
this map is available
" on Internet at
ti h .aba .ca. ov
Hazardous Materials Incidents
The amount and location of hazardous materials facilities and transportation routes in Contra
Costa County have a tremendous potential impact on the community. The raw materials and
finished products of the chemical industry travel throughout the county via road, rail, and almost
500 miles of underground pipeline. The majority of these facilities and their critical
infrastructure are located in the so-called industrial corridor. This portion of the county is also
the most susceptible to the effects of"liquefaction" during an earthquake. This increases the
likelihood of a hazardous materials incident following an earthquake.
•
Board Report 5
• Terrorism Incidents
At the national level, there is significant concern over the potential for acts of terrorism in the
U.S. In addition to a large number of vulnerable industrial facilities, several major corporations
have their headquarters located in Contra Costa County. In addition, the current debate over
abortion rights has resulted in family planning clinics becoming potential targets.
While we have no indication of a current threat directed toward our county's facilities or
businesses, basic preparation for these events is underway. The Emergency Services Division
cosponsors a Quarterly Law Enforcement Intelligence Group meeting where law enforcement
agencies can freely share threat information.
We are a co-chair with Emergency Medical Services on the Terrorism Grant Steering
Committee. This group includes representatives from fire, law enforcement, emergency medical
services, and emergency services. The primary purpose of the group is to determine how to best
obligate Federal terrorism grant money. Our current program funds equipment useable by all
responders, which will be cached in various parts of the county. Due to our experience and
active participation, the state has selected OES, under the Office of the Sheriff, as one of the
local government representatives on the States Strategic Committee on Terrorism.
3. Current Emergency Preparedness Programs and Activities
• In December 1997, the Office of Emergency Services (OES)was transferred from the County
Administrator's Office,to the Office of the Sheriff. The Emergency Services Division was
formed in the Support Services Bureau. OES, Volunteer Services, Law Enforcement Mutual
Aid, and the Sheriff's Officer of the Day Program were assigned to this Division. This
realignment placed volunteer services and mutual aid, two key emergency related activities,
under the same leadership as OES, improving overall coordination and management. OES began
working in three major areas: Planning, Training/Education, and Exercises. We are also actively
working to improve our ability to fulfill our role as the lead agency for the countywide
Operational Area Program.
Planning.-
The
lanning:The current Contra Costa County Emergency Plan is outdated,too cumbersome to be useful, and
does not comply with the guidance provided by the state. We have nearly completed the first
draft of the updated plan. We are updating the detailed hazard analysis portion of the plan, and
validating the dam failure portion of the existing plan. Draft checklists, which form an
attachment to the plan, have already been placed in the Emergency Operations Center(EOC).
As part of this planning effort, we have identified locations in each area of the county where we
will preposition sand, sandbags, and tools. These items are on order and will be in place before
the storm season.
Training/Education:
• We are currently working on two major training areas, EOC training and Standardized
Emergency Management System (SEMS)training. EOC training targets departments that have
Board Report
been assigned specific roles in the EOC. They include, but are not limited to, Public Works,
Community Development, Building Inspection, Health Services, and General Services. Our
current SEMS training is targeting Sheriff personnel who may be called upon to serve in incident
command positions. We are exploring ways of providing this training to all county departments.
Our next major training program will provide federal and state mandated training on hazardous
materials incident response to all county first-responders, including law enforcement and public
works personnel.
Exercises:
OES has actively participated in several city, special district, and industry exercises, including
Freedom High School in Oakley
City of San Ramon
City of Lafayette
City of Orinda
City of El Cerrito
City of Walnut Creek
Dow Chemical
Rhone Poulanc Chemical Plant Drill
CAER Hazardous Materials Drill in Rodeo
State-Wide Hospital Drill
We are planning a major Operational Area EOC exercise for this fall. Training for EOC staff
and exercise controllers will occur over the summer. We are requesting assistance from other
• counties and our Region OES staff in Oakland.
Volunteer Services Search and Rescue personnel conduct quarterly field exercises, designed to
improve their ability to respond to major disasters. The volunteer Air Squadron is developing an
airlift exercise designed to test their ability to transport key county personnel into and out of the
county following a major disaster.
Operational Area Program Management:
The California Emergency Services Act establishes each county as an "Operational Area" (Op
Area). The Op Area is comprised of all political jurisdictions with the boundary of each
county's borders. Unless another agency agrees, in writing with the county, to manage the Op
Area program, it falls on county government to perform this function. One of the key functions
of the Op Area during emergencies is to coordinate information and resource requirements
between ALL jurisdictions within the county. Therefore,the Office of Emergency Services and
County Emergency Operations Center(EOC) are"dual hatted". The EOC serves the
unincorporated area directly and, at the same time, the entire county (including all 19 cities) as
the Op Area EOC. In order to accomplish both these tasks,the size of the EOC staff will easily
exceed 120 people. As a result of our Operational Area tasks, the following issues require
attention/action.
ISSUE: The County/Op Area Needs a New Emergency Operations Center(EOQ. The
current EOC was designed and built prior to implementation of the Standardized
• Emergency Management System. Its physical size and communications/
Board Report 7
computer systems were not intended to support the number of staff required to
manage the Operational Area role. While significant improvements have been
made, the facility remains inadequate for the task When the EOC is activated, we
must force our day-to-day staff to vacate their offices in order to use that space for
EOC functions. This separation of management staff from the people actually
doing the work creates confusion and delays in response.
Breakout rooms are needed for the various SEMS EOC functions (Management,
Operations, Planning/Intelligence, Logistics, and Finance/Administration)to
effectively coordinate response and recovery operations. The current facility does
not have adequate feeding and sleeping facilities required for 24-hour operations.
One of the key functions of emergency response is dealing with the media. We
do not have an adequate media support facility. Finally, in order to support both
response staff and media, a significantly larger parking facility is needed.
ISSUE: There is no effective communications system between Op Area Jurisdictions.
Implementing the 800-Megahertz Trunked Radio System is a major step in
solving this problem. Each city and agency communications system was
developed individually, without interagency coordination being considered. The
various radio nets cannot communicate with each other. This forces the
Operational Area EOC to install/maintain equipment on multiple bands.
Overcrowded law enforcement frequencies limit the ability of these emergency
response personnel to communicate. Implementation of a countywide trunked
• radio system will mitigate these problems. It could also provide an emergency
command/control "talk channel"that all agencies would have access to,
simplifying on-scene coordination and management of emergencies. The 800-
megahertz trunked radio system also has the advantage of potential expansion into
the 700-megahertz band, which is expected to be available sometime in the next
10 years.
ISSUE: The EOC and Department Operations Centers (DOCS) need to make better use
of technology. Key emergency response departments have established
Department Operations Centers to manage their specific information, resources,
and tactical assignments. The quantity of information flowing into the EOC and
DOCs cannot be rapidly assessed and displayed. These facilities need access to
standardized county Geographic Information System (GIS) maps and information
to easily determine the impact of various events on the community. All county
departments with emergency response tasks must be able to access the same map
information simultaneously in order to ensure coordinated response.
4. Emergency Plans for, and headiness Status of, County Departments and Offices
OES has been working with most of the county departments on their emergency plans and
programs. We began this effort in preparation for the Y2K rollover. We used this event as a
•
Board Raport 8
• springboard to other, more general, preparedness activities. The following activities/programs
are underway:
Management and Oversight:
Shortly after OES moved to the Office of the Sheriff, it became clear that the existing oversight
committee,the Disaster Council, was not working. The size of the Council made it difficult to
develop consensus. In addition, it was rare to have more than a token number of agencies attend
meetings. As a result,the Disaster Council was dissolved and two new organizations created;
the Emergency Services Policy Board and the Operational Area Council.
The Policy Board is chaired by the County Administrator, and is composed of department heads
with direct emergency response roles (e.g. Public Works, Community Development, GSD, SO,
Health Services, etc.) The Policy Board meets quarterly to establish/approve overall guidance
for the emergency preparedness program. Each Policy Board member has been tasked to report
on the status of emergency planning and preparation in their departments. This provides an
opportunity for the various departments to learn from each other and share resources.
The Operational Area Council is chaired by the Emergency Services Director, and is composed
of representatives from each of the cities and special districts in the county. Generally these
representatives are the emergency managers/coordinators for their jurisdiction. The Council
meets quarterly to review and discuss countywide emergency preparedness issues and make
recommendations to the Emergency Services Policy Board on significant issues affecting the
• entire county. The Policy Board can also send issues to the Council for review and
recommendations. The intent is to receive input from the people who actually work the
emergency preparedness programs for the jurisdictions.
Examples of Department Programs:
Several departments have committed significant time and resources to their emergency
preparedness program.
Building Inspection held an annual emergency preparedness day, where employees
received briefings on all aspects of emergency preparedness. The training also ensured that
employees knew where the Department fit in the overall county emergency response effort.
Building Inspection also funded 3-day emergency kits for each employee. If the employee
drives a county vehicle, the pack must remain in the vehicle. If they primarily work out of an
office, the kit must remain at their desk.
Health Services developed an excellent emergency preparedness training course for their
employees. Copies of this Power Point Presentation were made available to other departments
so they could modify/use them for their programs.
Office of the Sheriff. Sheriff s management level personnel are receiving advanced
level Incident Command System training. All field personnel are receiving basic ICS and
• hazardous materials incident response training. The addition of a Safety Specialist position will
Board Report 9
increase the emphasis on nonstructural earthquake mitigation projects as part of the overall risk
management program. A Field Operations Guide(FOG),that standardizes initial field response
actions, has been written. This document provides guidance on tactical actions, command post
requirements, notifications, and safety items for various incidents.
We are working on ways of offering SEMS training countywide. In addition, OES is preparing
to present the federal and state mandated hazardous materials First Responder Awareness (FRA),
First Responder Operations (FRO), and Incident (IC) courses.
The last area we are working on is developing and distributing guidance on how departments can
reduce the damage from an earthquake. This program focuses on nonstructural mitigation such
as securing tall furniture to the wall, placing straps across open bookshelves, and securing
computers and their peripherals to the desk. These low cost actions will help minimize the loss
of equipment, and allow departments to return to production in minimum time.
5. Effectiveness of Communications to County Employees Regarding Their
Responsibilities in a State of Emergency
New county employees attend a newcomer's orientation managed through the County
Administrators Office. Part of this program includes an explanation of the California Disaster
Service Worker(DSW) program. During this portion of the training, employees are informed
that as public employees they are considered Disaster Services Workers. As such, during
disasters,they can be assigned to tasks not normally associated with their primary job. OES is
• working with the County Administrator's office to add a personal preparedness block to this
orientation. This block would cover family emergency plans, emergency kits, and basic survival
skills.
6. Public information programs that define the basic needs of every household to make it
Possible to be self-sufficient for the first 72 hours after such an event. Including the
updating of all existing printed emergency information and the publicizing by OES of
the availability of these materials
To better meet our Op Area responsibilities to support the jurisdictions in the county, we have
divided the county into four areas. We used the existing Office of the Sheriff areas of command.
A different member of the OES staff is assigned to work with jurisdictions in these areas. This
includes making presentations at community service groups, special districts (including schools),
municipal advisory committee's (MACS), citizen advisory panels (CAPs), and neighborhood
preparedness groups. Each presentation includes personal preparedness information. OES has
developed two handouts (copies attached)that provide information on how to build a family
emergency plan and emergency kits for home, office, and vehicles. We also attend various
safety fairs throughout the county, speaking to people and providing preparedness materials. We
work jointly with the County Crisis Center to ensure that our special needs population
requirements are addressed.
•
Board Report 10
a
• Future activities include implementing a telephone information line. The system has been
approved and funded. This system will allow citizens to ca1124 hours a day and select the type
of information they are interested in. A recorded message will give basic preparedness guidance.
If additional information is desired, the caller can leave their name and address and we will mail
handout materials to them. We are also investigating use of the World Wide Web to post
information. In addition to routine preparedness information, we intend to include up to date
information on disaster related road closures, shelter locations, locations where sandbags can be
obtained, etc.
7. Broadcasting of earthquake preparedness information on local cable access channels by
Contra Costa Television,working with the OES
OES has worked extensively with Contra Costa Television on this issue. We recently worked on
a Community Awareness and Emergency Response (CHER) sponsored emergency preparedness
workshop for school officials. Three sessions were held across the county. Each session
included information on earthquake preparedness, school violence issues, and alert/warning
programs. CCTV videotaped these presentations, and developed professional video product that
they are showing on the cable access channel. OES has also provided federal and state produced
videos to CCTV. Finally, the OES Manager recorded a lead-in introduction for video on the
aftermath of Loma Prieta. We continue to seek opportunities to use the capabilities of CCTV to
get the word out.
• 8. Summary
Contra Costa County faces a myriad of natural and technological disasters. As the population of
the county grows, more people, homes, and businesses will be threatened by these events. The
economic impact of a major disaster on the county will also increase. As development projects
are considered, approving officials must ensure that appropriate mitigation techniques are
incorporated at the design phase. While a major earthquake is generally considered to be the
most damaging and life-threatening event we face, we cannot ignore landslides, wildfires, and
hazardous materials releases. As we plan for and respond to these somewhat smaller events, all
responders have an opportunity to test their training, plans, and equipment. As a result,the
emergency response capability of the county is continuously improving.
Since the Office of Emergency Services transferred to the Office of the Sheriff, staff size has
grown, including the addition of a professional civilian emergency manager. This increased staff
has allowed OES to actively work with county departments, cities, and special districts to
improve the Operational Area's overall response capability. The OES staff is focusing on
assisting with planning, training, and exercises. County department preparation continues to
improve. The Emergency Services Policy Board provides the avenue for sharing ideas and
programs between departments. County employee training is ongoing. Efforts are underway to
offer more technical training to first responders across the county. In addition, OES has a
commitment to provide current and accurate information to the public. This includes
• preparedness information before a disaster occurs, and situation information when a disaster
Board Report 1 1
• occurs. We have established an active partnership with Contra Costa County Television,
improving our ability to get the preparedness message to the public.
Some of the most needed improvements require long-term effort and investment. These include:
• Obtaining a state-of-the-art Emergency Operations Center capable of handling a staff
of at least 120 people, 24-hours a day for several weeks.
• Upgrade the Operational Area communications infrastructure to improve emergency
communications between various EOCs, and between responders in the field by
implementing systems such as the 800-megahertz radio system.
• Implementation and integration(into the EOC and DOC's) of a countywide
Geographical Information System(GIS) system.
•
•
Board Report 12
• STATUS OF EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLANS
AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Department's Emergency Management and Contingency Plan includes
procedures for medical, fire, evacuation, earthquakes, flood, toxic gas clouds, bomb
threats, demonstrations as well as hazardous materials incidents. The plan was
recently revised in March,2001.
ASSESSOR'S OFFICE
The Assessor's Management Emergency Plan addresses the issues of access to
records,forms and supplies and the deployment of staff. Responsibilities:
a. to access pre disaster property values for determining estimates of loss in
applying for state and federal assistance
b. to assist individuals in filing for disaster relief
c. to reassess damaged property
AUDITORICONTROLLER
• The office has both Safety and Emergency Plans. One of the most critical elements
of the Emergency Plan is ensuring the readiness to continue its primary operational
functions. It is critical that the business-continuation plan focuses on supporting the
ongoing operation of the county's mission-critical systems (finance, property tax
and payroll) during an emergency. The office is working with staff from DOIT to
assess the appropriateness and effectiveness of our back-up plans and revise if
necessary.
BUILDING INSPECTION
Employees are aware of their role during the aftermath of a major event and have
undergone training in their functional areas.
Inspection and engineering staff perform inspections to determine stability and
safety of structures. Each of the department's 48 vehicles is equipped with a
microwave radio, exclusively for use after an emergency. This is in addition to each
inspection/engineering/management staff being provided with pagers, cell phones
and emergency kits. The department has:
fire extinguishers,safety kits, a stockpile of food, batteries,water,etc.
a recently updated Emergency Action Plan and Disaster Recovery Plan
trained staff on this issue of violence in the workplace and buzzers at all front
counters to alert staff of potentially violent situations
•
CALIFORNIA HIGH WA Y PA TR OL
• The California Highway Patrol has an Emergency Operations Plan and an
Emergency Action Plan to facilitate the accomplishment of our responsibilities
during emergencies. These plans are to guide in the Mission to ensure safety and
provide service to the public as they utilize the highway transportation system and
to assist local government during emergencies when requested.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
During the past six months, all Departmental responding personnel have received
training in the Operations Center from Emergency Services staff. Training will be
extended to the Building Inspection Department personnel who will be integrated in
the Plans section.
Following this training, the department has requested a tabletop exercise with staff
of Building Inspection to ensure a clear understanding of the roles and
responsibilities and SEMS span of control in the operational unit.
COUNTY COUNSEL
The office maintains a written Emergency Management Plan that sets forth
• emergency preparedness checklist and guidelines for responding to emergencies and
for the continuation of work through an emergency. The office participates in
regular evacuation exercises at 651 Pine Street and two floor wardens regularly
attend meetings on emergency preparedness.
DEPARTMENT OF INFO TECHNOLOGY
DOIT has developed a complete information technology disaster recovery and
.operational business resumption plan. Attempting to develop an on-line version for
each county department through the county's Information Security Advisory
Com m ittee.
Components include an operational recovery services contract for off-site
continuation of IT processing following a declared disaster, complete infrastructure
redundancy and back-up for the County's Enterprise Data Center complex on
Douglas Drive.
EMPLOYMENT AND HUMAN SER VICE DEPARTMENT
The department has a recently revised Emergency Management Plan, which
includes the role of staff at the activated EOC, recovery priorities, protocol and
• resource information. A Statement of Understanding between the American Red
Cross (ARC) is near completion, which outlines responsibilities for Mass Care and
, r .
Shelter. EHSD staff will be trained by ARC to work as shelter staff. A meeting of
• representatives from OES, EHSD, ARC and the California Department of Social
Service will take place in May, 2001 to discuss Care and Shelter issues in the county.
Managers in each facility have Nextel wireless phones and have been trained to use
the"walkie-talkie" feature.
CCC FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
The Fire District is constantly in the process of re-evaluating and upgrading its
infrastructure to better serve the public. The Communications Center is being
remodeled to handle the increased demands.
All Operations computers are equipped with universal power supply(UPS)
All fire stations apparatus room doors are wired into emergency generators
and have manual override to facilitate opening the door.
The District Standard Operating Procedures(SOP)are in place for the
following emergency responses, Earthquake,Heavy Rescue, Structural
Collapse Rescue,Confined Space Rescue and Water Rescue.
GENERAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT
Developed a Disaster Plan that provides direction for personnel and assures the
continuance of essential operations and provides required support to the EOC
• during an emergency. The plan covers employee reporting requirements,
emergency callback, location of disaster barrels and steps to be followed in
formation of the Department's Operation Center. Employees have been trained on
advance preparation at home. The Disaster Plan and disaster barrels are updated
on a quarterly basis and training provided on an annual basis.
HEALTH SERVICES DEPARTMENT
Health Services has a department-wide emergency program managed by a full-time
planner. Elements of the program include:
- A Health Officer on-call system providing 24 hour/7-day availability through
Sheriffs dispatch.
- A Departmental SEMS-compliant Emergency Plan
- Emergency plans for each HS division
- A designated Emergency Management Team which meets quarterly supported
by a"work group" which meets monthly
- Periodic disaster exercises
- A designated Departmental Operating Center(DOC)and sub-centers with radio
and/or direct line communications between the DOC and County EOC, its sub-
centers and acute care hospitals and county health centers.
- A countywide Multi-casualty Plan for EMS response
• - An orientation program for new employees.
Senior staff have participated in the California Specialized Training Institute
• disaster management training and earthquake management course.
County Health Services is designated the Regional Disaster Medical/Health
Coordinator for OES Northern California Coastal Region.
Health Services personnel have played a lead role in organizing a Bay Area Disaster
Medical Assistant Team (DMAT) which consists of physicians, nurses, paramedics
and other health professionals who volunteer their time to train for disaster
response under the auspices of the U.S.Public Health Service.
HOUSING AUTHORITY
The Housing Authority's Emergency Action Plan establishes procedures for
employees and tenants to minimize danger from the effects of fire, earthquake,
explosion or other emergency situations. This policy is being updated and the office
has taken steps to coordinate with OES.
LIBRARY
The Library completed an assessment of emergency kits at 23 locations and
replaced water and batteries. One of the emergency procedures was highlighted
• each Monday as a "6-Minute Training" exercise on the Library's Home page was
implemented after an All Staff Training Day. Staff are CPR certified and the
emergency callout list was updated.
PUBLIC WORKS
The program includes preparing every employee for emergency duties including
home emergency training and refresher classes plus their role as disaster service
workers. Table-top exercises are conducted at least once a year and the next
exercise is planned between August and October, 2001.
Coordination with General Services and OES to update resource lists. Coordinate
with Service Chiefs for support services. Every three months, emergency
equipment and supplies are updated and restocked. Presently coordinating with
General Services to procure the supplies.
PROBATION
The Probation Department distributes an Emergency Action Plan of general
procedures to ensure the safety of employees and the general public. This plan
• describes procedures in the event of emergencies such as fire, earthquake, bomb
threat and public disturbance.
• RISK MANAGEMENT
The Risk Management emergency response plan is currently being updated and
should be completed in the near future. Currently waiting for cost estimates for
earthquake kits which will support the division. The department has secured a CD-
Rom put together by the State of California and the Public Agency Risk Managers
Association for earthquake mitigation. A request has been made for printing of the
document which will then be distributed to the CAO, department heads and OES.
•
•
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