Introduction to the Emergency Operations Center City of

Introduction to the Emergency Operations Center City of Santa Cruz • 2011 EOC Training and Exercise

Emergency Services Act v California Code - Chapter 7 California Emergency Services Act [Sections 8550 - 8668] v Requires preparation for disasters v Confers emergency powers during disasters 1

5 Standardized Emergency Management Functions in the EOC v v v Management / Policy Operations Planning Intelligence Logistics Finance Administration 2

EOC Glossary of Terms v Emergency Operations Center (EOC) v Location from which centralized emergency management can be performed v Department Operations Center (DOC) v Single discipline operations center v May be utilized at any level above the Field Response Level 3

EOC Glossary of Terms. . . v EOC Action Plan v Contains the priorities and objectives to be accomplished. v Establishes timeframes called Operational Periods for objectives to be v Inter-agency Coordination v Agencies working together to facilitate decisionmaking. v Is required 4

. . . EOC Glossary of Terms. . . v Mutual Aid v Sharing resources between jurisdictions based on need. v Formal mutual aid systems and agreements exist for law enforcement, fire, v Incident v Event requiring action by emergency response personnel v Endangers life, property or environment. v May require local proclamation of an 5

. . . EOC Glossary of Terms v Emergency v Conditions of extreme peril to safety of persons and property. v May consist of multiple incidents. v Disaster v Single or multiple incidents. v Extraordinary threat to life and property. 6

Incident and Disaster Management Have Common Goals v Save lives v Care for casualties v Limit further threats to life, property, or the environment v Reassure and care for the public v Restore the affected area to normal 7

The EOC During the Pre-emergency Phase v Develops plans, procedures, and protocols v Addresses the EOC facility and resource needs v Trains and prepares staff 8

The EOC During the Emergency Phase v EOC provides centralized coordination for the overall emergency response. 9

The EOC During the Postemergency Phase v EOC can be utilized to direct and coordinate the overall recovery operations. 10

EOC Activation Guidelines v Some basic considerations v Nature, scope, and duration of the emergency? v Have other EOCs activated and at what level? v What SEMS Functions will be needed to support the overall response? 11

Levels of EOC Activation v Level One v v v Minimum activation EOC Director, Section Chiefs, Situation Analysis Unit Level Two v v May be tailored to a specific event 5 SEMS Functions as v Level Three v v Full activation Full staffing Agency representatives Usually in response to a major emergency 12

Basic EOC Requirements. . . v v v Activation in 1 hour or less Facility survivability Safe access 5 SEMS Functions utilized Accommodation for agency representatives 13

. . . More Requirements. . . v v EOC performs a coordination role Is not involved in tactical decisions Establishes and maintains communication with DOCs and Incident Commands (field) Develops primary situation and damage assessment information 14

. . . More Requirements v Sets overall policy and priorities v Should be the primary location for media releases and public information v Coordination of initial recovery activities 15

EOC Uses Basic Principles from the Incident Command System (ICS) v v 5 primary functions* Management by objectives (specific and attainable) Unity of command (report to one supervisor) Span of control Action planning v * Management • Planning Intelligence • Logistics • Operations • Finance Administration 16

Management by Objectives v Provides structure for the EOC Action Plan v Sets strategic objectives and operational priorities v Defines authority relationships v Assists in identifying future actions and resource needs 17

Unity of Command v Overall responsibility rests with the EOC Director v Authority may be delegated to Section Chiefs v Deactivate EOC elements when not needed v EOC Director is responsible for any function not delegated 18

Span of Control v Ratio of subordinates reporting to one supervisor v 3 -7 is recommended v Complexity of the task at hand is a factor v “Deputy” positions can ease span of control problems 19

The EOC Action Plan v Purpose v Provides direction v Assigns responsibility v Instills accountability v Measures progress v Is updated for each operational period 20

Inter-agency Coordination v Communication, Coordination, and Cooperation: v Between disciplines v Between jurisdictions v Between different levels of government 21

Inter-agency Groups in the EOC v Agency representatives who have a “vest” in the response v Can provide information and insight for prudent decision-making 22

Mutual Aid in the EOC v Formal Mutual Aid Systems in California v Fire and Rescue v Law Enforcement v Medical / Health v Emergency Services v v v May operate outside the EOC through formal mutual aid channels, or…. May be coordinated through the EOC must be kept informed of mutual aid status 23

Questions 24