DATE: October 22, 2024
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Paul Nerland, County Administrative Officer / Emergency Services Director
SUBJECT: Update Fresno County Operational Area Master Emergency Services Plan
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Adopt Resolution updating the Fresno County Operational Area Master Emergency Services Plan; and,
2. Authorize the Emergency Services Director to implement future updates to the Fresno County Operational Area Master Emergency Services Plan in compliance with local, State or Federal codes.
REPORT
Approval of the recommended actions will update the County’s Operational Area Master Emergency Services Plan (Plan) and allow the Emergency Services Director to implement future revisions, as necessary. The Plan is required pursuant to the California Emergency Services Act (Government Code, section 8550 et seq.) and Fresno County Ordinance Code, section 2.44.080.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
No viable options are available.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with the recommended actions.
DISCUSSION:
The Plan is a comprehensive framework designed to manage various aspects of emergency response and recovery. It includes four separate plans: the Recovery Plan, which focuses on restoring the community post-disaster; the Mass Care and Shelter Plan, which ensures the provision of essential services and shelter to affected populations; the Emergency Public Information and Outreach Plan, which outlines strategies for effective information dissemination and coordination; and the Master Emergency Services Plan (MESP), which details the procedures for immediate response to emergencies.
The County’s original Plan was adopted in May 1998, this Plan was written to comply with the Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) that enhanced multi-jurisdictional emergency and disaster operations in compliance with State requirements. The Plan organized the County’s emergency services structure and responsibility designations, as required by SEMS, into statewide, standardized functions. These include Management, Operations, Planning and Intelligence, Logistics, and Finance and Administrations.
The County is located within the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services Mutual Aid Region V. The Plan establishes the framework for implementation of SEMS in the County and facilitates multi-agency and multi-jurisdictional coordination, particularly between the County and local government, including special districts and state agencies, during emergency operations.
The Plan provides a planned strategic response to extraordinary emergencies associated with natural disaster, technological incidents, and national security emergencies in or affecting Fresno County. The Plan serves as a guide for agencies and County departments who may potentially respond to a disaster or an emergency within the designated operational area.
The Plan identifies the policies, responsibilities, and procedures required to protect the health and safety of County communities, public and private property from the environmental effects of natural and technological emergencies and disasters, and establishes the operational concepts and procedures associated with initial response to emergencies, and the recovery process.
An update to the Plan was approved by the Board in October 2017, that update added Emergency Support Functions, updated County department and program names to reflect current organizational structure and incorporated policies principles, concepts and procedures to conform to the SEMS and National Incident Management System (NIMS).
While there is no legislative or regulatory requirement mandating when the Plan must be updated, best practice suggests it should be reviewed every five years as changes occur throughout the County and State. Upon assuming her role as the Fresno County Office of Emergency Services Emergency Manager, Terri Mejorado, with her extensive experience in emergency management throughout the State, found the plans to be outdated and promptly initiated the update process.
Key highlights of this latest update include:
• Updating the format and layout of the MESP to ensure consistency across all plans.
• Integrating new Access and Functional Needs (AFN) planning considerations, as mandated by state legislation, into communications, evacuations, and mass care and sheltering.
• Realigning emergency support function roles and responsibilities based on lessons learned from previous disasters.
• Creating additional supporting plans for emergency communications, care and shelter, and disaster recovery.
County Departments will be invited to participate in future trainings on the various elements of the Plan to ensure staff are prepared to participate in a response action, if needed.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #8, October 31, 2017
BAI #23, December 10, 2013
BAI #3, May 19, 1998
BAI #22, November 14, 1995
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Resolution
On file with Clerk - Recovery Plan
On file with Clerk - Mass Care and Shelter Plan
On file with Clerk - Emergency Public Information and Outreach Plan
On file with Clerk - Master Emergency Services Plan
Presentation
CAO ANALYST:
Ron Alexander