Receive update on the status of the Yolo County Office of Emergency Services. (No general fund impact) (Pinedo/Bryan)

Receive update on the status of the Yolo County Office of Emergency Services. (No general fund impact) (Pinedo/Bryan)

The Office of Emergency Services (OES) is a division of the County Administrator's Office. OES is responsible for administering the County's emergency management programs. This includes identifying threats, developing response plans and protocols, recommending hazard mitigation strategies, conducting staff training and response exercises, providing preparedness information to the public, collaborating with allied agencies, and coordinating the County's response to and recovery from major emergencies.

The OA (Operational Area) is all of the political subdivisions within the County geographic boundaries versus the "County," which in the Emergency Management definition is the County Departments. The Yolo County Operational Area operates under a Joint Emergency Management Services (JEMS) agreement, whereby the Yolo County Office of Emergency Services assists each participating JEMS member in Yolo County with their emergency management operations. The seven JEMS members are:

• The City of Davis
• The City of West Sacramento
• The City of Winters
• The City of Woodland
• The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation
• The Housing Authority of the County of Yolo
• Unincorporated Yolo County (including all Special Districts)

Key components of the OES' preparation are the following activities or products:

Emergency Operations Center (EOC): One of the primary functions of OES is the support and preparation of the EOC. The EOC is the County's response center when an emergency or disaster happens within or near the County. Staff throughout the County are trained to operate positions to bring the County through an emergency event and into recovery. The County's EOC functions as needed depending on the nature and location of an emergency in partnership with other Federal, State, and local emergency response organizations. The major divisions or sections are Management (Administration/Director), Planning and Intelligence, Operations, Logistics, and Finance and Administration (Cost Accounting).

Training: Training is an ongoing activity for OES and is the primary avenue through which the EOC is kept ready to respond to events. Training is conducted as classroom-based learning and exercises designed to simulate real-world situations that provide the opportunity to practice. In August of this year, the County, along with other local jurisdictions in the region, participated in the DeltaX Exercise, which simulated a water/flood event. The day-long exercise included a broad activation of staff to fulfill roles in the EOC and allowed staff to practice the response effort to a significant regional event.

Emergency Operations Plan (EOP): The purpose of the EOP is to provide the basis for a coordinated response before, during, and after a disaster incident affecting Yolo County. The EOP is intended to facilitate multi-jurisdictional and interagency coordination in emergency operations, particularly between local government, the private sector, the State of California, and Federal agencies. The County's EOP is scheduled for review and update in Fall/Winter 2023.

Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP): The HMP aims to integrate hazard mitigation strategies into the activities and programs of local jurisdictions and special districts and, to the extent practical, into the activities of private sector organizations. The plan identifies and evaluates specific local hazard mitigation strategies to be considered. The plan describes strategies that government and private sector organizations may utilize as acceptable and effective mechanisms for mitigating those hazards within the realistic constraints of capability and priority. The HMP is updated every five (5) years, with the new plan due by December 2023.

Fire Safe Council (FSC): The Resource Conservation District (RCD) and OES are working collaboratively on a Countywide Yolo County Fire Safe Council (YCFSC) as well as smaller, local fire safe councils, such as the Capay Valley Fire Safe Council, Pleasants Valley Fire Safe Council, and the West Winters Fire Safe Council, so fire prevention and mitigation projects can be based on local needs. The RCD and OES are also working on the Yolo County Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP), which is a hazard mitigation plan specific to wildfire. The OES is the lead project manager on the $1.5 million Senate Bill 129 Funds for the Board approved projects. The Board is scheduled to receive a report on the CWPP at the November 8, 2022, meeting.

Drought Response: On July 27, 2021, the Board proclaimed the existence of a local drought emergency. Drought conditions persist through today. OES collaborates with the Department of Community Services, Natural Resources Division and the Yolo County Flood Control & Water Conservation District (YCFCWCD) on the "Dry Well Assistance Program," which is funded by a Department of Water Resources grant of $559,000. The program supports water deliveries for up to 30 households that experience dry wells in unincorporated Yolo County. The program receives dry well reports, either through a dedicated phone line or a confidential online reporting tool. OES then works with YCFCWCD staff to inspect the reported well and ensure that the well is dry and not in need of repair. Once a dry well is confirmed, staff connects the residents with resources available through state and federal drought programs. If needed, YCFCWCD will install an above-ground water storage tank and connect it to the domicile. The tank is provided for non-drinking water uses, such as toilet flushing and bathing. Tanks are filled as needed, and drinking water is supplied via bottled water.

Covid-19: Covid-19 pandemic and the associated State of Emergency issued by the State has been a long and sustained effort by the County. For some time now, Health and Human Services (HHSA) has been the lead entity in the County's Covid-19 response efforts. An upcoming effort requiring OES participation is the completion of the Covid-19 After-Action Report. This report will review the County's response to the pandemic, including the activation and efforts of the Emergency Operations Center and the Public Health response by HHSA. The review and report will be conducted by a vendor selected through a Request for Proposals process. The contract is currently being finalized.
 

The Office of Emergency Services collaborates with the City of Davis, the City of West Sacramento, the City of Winters, the City of Woodland, the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, the Yolo County Housing Authority, Yolo County Departments, and other organizations such as the Yolo County Fire Chiefs Association. OES also works with other County and State partners.