Preparedness for Disasters (D)
Findings and Recommendations |
Response |
Actions Completed |
Actions Pending |
| Findings and Recommendations 1 - 8 . |
Adopted collective responses of Sheriff/Fire Chief, CA/Director of Office of Emergency Services.BOS
|
| 1. BOS and city councils should expand emergency SEMS training for their employees. CA and each CM should incorporate emergency-related functions into county and city employee job descriptions and performance evaluations. | In 1996-97 OES will expand SEMS training to include
public information training and additional management and field training
to County executives and various field personnel. CA Will revise job descriptions and Employee Performance Evaluation Form where appropriate. B Details training already in place and training planned. Incorporating specific emergency-related functions in job descriptions and performance evaluations not recommended. SB |
Emergency-related functions have already been incorporated
into job descriptions where appropriate. SM As of 11/26/96, 95% of the SEMS workforce and nearly 100% of key EOC staff meet the minimum SEMS training standard. L |
Will work with OES and Personnel to update job descriptions
where appropriate. CA Will revise job descriptions and Employee Performance Evaluation Form where appropriate. B Will assess what training |
| SEMS training has begun. SM Details city's plans and training already in progress. Incorporating emergency-related functions into job descriptions and performance evaluations goes beyond requirements of SEMS. C Financing of SEMS training is responsibility of County. S Incorporating emergency related functions into job descriptions and performance evaluations exceeds SEMS requirement. Details training in progress. L |
specific to S is necessary in addition to County responsibility. Will amend job descriptions and performance evaluations to address GJ recommendations. S |
2. In 1994 OES staff reduced by 50% as a result of restructuring. Between 1989 and 1994 OES budget dropped 72% in addition to 84% decrease in county contribution. As a result OES is understaffed and lacks adequate resources to cope with a major disaster. GJ recommends BOS increase OES staff by at least one person to plan and establish a broader training program by providing emergency funding. BOS and CA should include county OES as beneficiary of revenues from Proposition 172.
3. EOC is housed in a building which has been constructed inadequately to withstand major disaster. BOS should provide improved structure. |
CA disagrees with some of GJ's statistics: OES staff reduced by 33%, not 50% and part time fire department staff have basically made up the loss. Also argues Fire/OES merger increased OES staff and equipment resources. Between 1989 and 1994 OES budget dropped 12.4%, not 72% and decrease in county contribution was 45.2%, not 84%. Disagrees with GJ that OES is understaffed; also that it lacks adequate resources. Due to reduced revenues, AC is considering recommending reductions to OES 1996-97 budget in which case staff will work to restructure OES in order to provide adequate disaster management functions. Prop. 172 is not "new" money - its revenues, $18 million annually, must be balanced against loss of $25 million annually in property taxes; the majority of which pays for public safety. CA
Disagrees. CA |
| 4. SB has a well-established emergency preparedness program. L has a detailed program of response and evacuation if Bradbury Dam were to fail. All municipalities should review and update their needs and resources for improved disaster preparedness, response and recovery. Seven CMs and ESC should intensify mutual aid programs, coordinate resources, increase awareness of each city's needs in times of disaster. | Agrees. Emergency managers within the State belong
to EMMA. CA
|
Update and meetings to coordinate resources in progress.
B On May 1 OES conducted a tabletop exercise for ESC simulating a disaster. Resulting action - ESC asked OES to draft resolution on resource allocation policy to be adopted by all jurisdictions. OES May 7, 1996 City Council created CERT, providing citizen volunteers to support emergency services during disasters. SB |
Will work with ESC to direct their respective staff to develop mutual aid plans and current resource lists. OES |
| 5. MERRAG is a good model for providing community emergency services in unincorporated areas. Organizations in other unincorporated areas should follow its model. OES should act as overseer to consolidate services in County. | Agrees. OES Appreciates GJ's recognition and support. Encourages residents and organizations to attend one of MERRAG's monthly meetings. MERRAG |
If budget reductions are implemented, CA and Fire Dept. could work to develop strategy to restructure OES to continue disaster and recovery planning contained within the GJ report. OES |
| 6. The County needs helicopter for use in time of disaster. Obtain from government surplus for joint use by fire and sheriff departments. | Concurs. SC | July 22, 1995 Sheriff's Dept. took custody of a US Army surplus helicopter, model OH-58. Sept. 1995 second OH-58 (not flyable) obtained for parts. SC |
A third OH-58 is expected to be operational by May 1. 1997. |
| 7. In advance of any disaster, institutions and individuals should establish alternate means of communicating, i.e. battery-powered radios, cellular telephones, amateur radios and/or private radio frequencies. | Agrees. OES |
| 8. Residents are less aware than institutions of need for disaster preparedness. Continual encouragement by media and public service organizations is necessary. Residents should be prepared with supplies of food, water etc. sufficient to last for 72 hours. Red Cross is best secondary contact point. | Agrees. OES |
BOS Board of Supervisors OES Office
of Emergency Sevices ESC Emergency Services Council
SEMS Standardized Emergency Management System EOC Emergency Operations Center
MERRAG Montecito Emergency Response & Recovery Action Group
CA County Administrator SB Santa Barbara CFC County Fire Chief
CM City Administrator/Manager L Lompoc SC Sheriff/Coroner
C Carpinteria S Solvang CERT Community Emergency Response Teams
B Buellton G Guadalupe SM Santa Maria
EMMA Emergency Managers Mutual Aid GJ Grand Jury