On De. 13, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors approved a comprehensive earthquake response plan, establishing guidelines for immediate response and early recovery from a major seismic event including specific actions to be taken by county staff, emergency response personnel, and other agency partners. The plan by the Department of Emergency Management will serve as a supplement to the county’s overall Emergency Operations Plan, which was revised in March following several years of damaging wildfires.
In March, the Board adopted the county Emergency Operations Plan which outlines specific actions the county and operational area partners take during an emergency to protect the whole community. The emergency plan was the first in the state to incorporate cultural competency, developed with feedback from local community members and organizations to resolve issues related to cultural responsiveness.
The Department of Emergency Management worked with partners to develop the earthquake response plan as a guide for each phase of a crisis situation such as the first four hours, first 12 hours, etc. Plan specifics include alert and warning use, fire suppression, hazardous material response, and transitioning from the immediate response to more sustained recovery and assessing damages. The plan information ranges from first-priority emergency response and information on recovery guidance to utility restoration, debris removal, interim housing and disaster assistance programs for affected residents.
The Department of Emergency Management works collaboratively with partner agencies to develop emergency response plans. These plans provide the framework for the coordinated emergency work among community agencies including counties, cities, special districts, regional, state, tribal and federal partners.
Learn more about the county’s emergency response plans at: https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/administrative-support-and-fiscal-services/emergency-management/plans.
