Emergency Operations PlanFort Bragg, CaliforniaUpdated March 15, 2024Emergency Operations PlanFort Bragg, CaliforniaUpdated March 15, 2024 Emergency Operations Plan
Fort Bragg, California
Updated March 15, 2024
Emergency Operations Plan
Fort Bragg, California
Updated March 15, 2024
Letter from the City Manager
Dear Residents and Business owners of Fort Bragg,
Ensuring the safety and well-being of our community is a paramount concern for me as City Manager of Fort Bragg. When I assumed this role at the beginning of 2024, I made Emergency Management, Planning, and Recovery a top priority. Witnessing the devastation caused by the disaster in Maui in 2023 reinforced the importance of being prepared for emergencies and ensuring our community's ability to recover economically from any challenges we may face. Given our city's location in one of the most beautiful yet rugged places in the world, we must be prepared for a variety of threats, from global warming to severe storms.
I am particularly proud that our Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) was developed with a Whole Community Concept in mind. This approach ensures that every segment of our diverse population is considered, and their concerns are addressed in our emergency planning efforts. Dozens of meetings were held with organizations and individuals throughout our community to ensure that their voices were heard and that our plan includes adequate protections for all residents.
I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to the current City Council for their steadfast support throughout the process of revising our Emergency Operations Plan. Their dedication to increasing funding for our Emergency Planning Operations has significantly enhanced our preparedness efforts. This document represents the culmination of extensive collaboration by the management team and supporting staff. I want to extend a special acknowledgment to Captain Thomas O’Neal for his dedication and exceptional efforts in orchestrating the development of this plan.
In response to recent events and potential threats faced by our community, we have undertaken a comprehensive review and revision of our EOP. The updated plan incorporates best practices, lessons learned from past incidents, and input from various stakeholders to enhance our resilience and ability to mitigate, respond to, and recover from emergencies.
Key highlights of the updated Emergency Operations Plan include:
1. Comprehensive Risk Assessment: We have conducted a thorough assessment of potential hazards and risks faced by our community, providing the foundation for our emergency preparedness and response strategies.
2. Enhanced Coordination and Collaboration: The revised EOP emphasizes the importance of coordination and collaboration among city departments, emergency responders, community organizations, and other stakeholders to effectively mobilize resources and support during emergencies.
3. Clear Roles and Responsibilities: The EOP outlines clear roles and responsibilities for city staff, emergency management personnel, and partner agencies to ensure a coordinated and efficient response to emergencies.
4. Community Engagement and Public Outreach: Engaging with the community is essential for building resilience and fostering preparedness. The updated EOP includes provisions for community outreach, public education campaigns, and collaboration with neighborhood groups to empower residents with the knowledge and resources needed to respond effectively to emergencies.
5. Training and Exercises: Training and exercises are vital for testing our emergency response capabilities and identifying areas for improvement. The EOP outlines a schedule of training sessions, drills, and tabletop exercises to ensure that city personnel are well-prepared to fulfill their roles during emergencies.
I encourage all residents and business owners to familiarize themselves with the revised Emergency Operations Plan and their role within the emergency management framework. Your contributions and commitment to our preparedness efforts are invaluable in safeguarding the well-being of our community.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the Emergency Operations Plan or our emergency preparedness initiatives, please do not hesitate to contact Thomas O’Neal at [email protected].
Thank you for your dedication to serving our community and ensuring its safety and resilience.
Sincerely,
Isaac Whippy
City Manager
Promulgation, Approval and Implementation
This plan was presented to and approved by the Fort Bragg City Council on March 25, 2024, by Resolution No. XX-XX. This plan supersedes all previous plans and took effect immediately upon City Council approval. Approval of this plan remains in effect until a change to this plan is presented to and approved by the City Council.
Our Emergency Operations Plan broken down into two primary sections: the basic plan and supporting appendices. Changes made to the basic plan require approval by the City Council with the exception that temporary changes may be made for no longer than seven days. Temporary changes shall expire after seven days if not approved by the City Council. The intent of temporary changes is to allow this plan to be flexible during emergencies and in light of new and developing information.
The Record of Distribution may be adjusted without approval as more organizations or stakeholders receive copies of this plan.
This plan is maintained by the City Clerk.
The supporting appendices are intended to be living documents that are updated as frequently as needed. Changes to supporting appendices may be approved by the City Manager or Chief of Police. As supporting appendices often contain sensitive information such as personal contact information or vulnerabilities related to City infrastructure, they are not releasable to the public.
The basic plan shall be reviewed by the City Manager or their designee on an annual basis no later than March 1st, with that review being documented in the Record of Changes.
The basic plan shall be reviewed and approved by City Council at least once every three years.
This document represents the official Emergency Operations Plan for the City of Fort Bragg and gives authority to Departments within the City to perform their duties during an emergency in accordance with Federal, State and local laws as well internal policies and Administrative Regulations.
While many organizations are mentioned in this document, it remains those organizations responsibilities to maintain their own Emergency Operations Plans, training, and exercise plans required to support the City’s plan.
Mayor’s Signature
Record of Changes
ID
Date
Requestor
Description
Pages Effected
1 03/24
T. O’Neal
Update EOP IAW Current CPG 101 and EMAP Standards
All
Record of Distribution
Date
Organization
Received by
Distributed by
Format
Contents
Letter from the City Manager 2
Promulgation, Approval and Implementation 5
Record of Changes 6
Record of Distribution 7
Best Practices for Reviewing this Emergency Operations Plan 12 Purpose 12
Scope 13
Whole Community Approach 13
Situation Overview 15
Hazards, Threats and Vulnerabilities 17
Climate Change 17
Communication Failure 17
Cyberattacks 17
Drought 17
Earthquake 17
Extreme Weather 17
Flood 17
Slope Failure 18
Power Outage 18
Pandemic 18
Wildland/Urban Interface Fire 19
Planning Assumptions 19
Concept of Operations 20
SEMS Levels 20
Mutual Aid 22
Phases of Emergency Management 23
Mitigation 23
Preparedness 24
Planning 24
Response 24
Pre-Event Response 24
Emergency Response 25
Recovery 25
Damage Assessment 25
Disaster Assistance Programs 26
Recovery Documentation 26
After Action Report 26
Organization and Assignment of Responsibilities 26
Emergency Management Organization 26
Director of Emergency Services 27
Assistant Directors of Emergency Services 27
City Employees 27
City Organization 28
Assignment of Responsibilities 29
Adventist Health-Mendocino Coast 29
Care Response Unit 29
City Attorney 30
City Clerk 30
City Manager’s Office 30
City Council / Mayor 30
Code Enforcement 30
CV Starr 31
Community Development 31
Economic Development 31
Engineering 31
Fort Bragg Food Bank (Private) 31
Fort Bragg Unified School District 31
Finance 32
Fire 32
Human Resources 32
Information Technology 33
Mendocino Coast Humane Society (Private) 33
Mendocino Transit Authority 33
Parents and Friends, Inc. (Private) 33
Police Department 33
Public Works 34
Water/Wastewater 34
Direction, Control, and Coordination 34
Emergency Operations Center (EOC) 34
Primary and Alternate EOC Locations and Government Offices 35 EOC Activation and Deactivation 35
EOC Activation Authority 35
EOC Activation Levels 36
EOC Activation Triggers 36
PSPS or Extended Power Outage 37
Earthquake 37
Slopeslide 37
Human Caused 37
Water Quality / Water System Issues 37
COOP/COG 38
Extreme Weather 38
EOC Organization 38
City Department Responsibilities for EOC Staffing 38
Continuity of Government 40
Vital Record Retention 40
Emergency Powers 41
Local Proclamation of Emergency 41
State of Emergency 41
Presidential Declaration 42
Other Powers 42
Curfew 43
Fire Marshal 43
Information Collection, Analysis, and Dissemination 44
Information Collection 44
Communications 44
Internal Communications and Coordination 44
External Communications and Coordination 45
Coordination with the Field Responders 45
Coordination with the Mendocino County Operational Area 46 Administration, Finance, and Logistics 46
Administration and Finance 46
Logistics 46
Plan Development and Maintenance 47
Authorities and References 48
Local 48
Mendocino County 48
State 48
Federal 49
Acronym List 50
Best Practices for Reviewing this Emergency Operations Plan When reviewed in printed format, this guide is intended to provide a basic overview of the City of Fort Bragg’s Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) for stakeholders, employees and members of the public. The goal is that within one hour the reader should have a basic understanding of the various components related to emergency planning at the local government level. When reviewed in a digital format, there are multiple hyperlinks that will allow the reader to delve deeper into certain topics. Efforts were made to hyperlink complex topics the first time they appear in this plan. If the reader encounters a term or concept that they are unfamiliar with or want to learn more about and there is no hyperlink, the reader should search backwards in the document to find the first time the concept was introduced and look for that hyperlink.
Managers and employees in positions with specific responsibilities as outlined in this document should at a minimum take the time to review the materials hyperlinked that relate to their specific roles.
When reviewing external documents accessed via hyperlink the reader may need to use a search function to locate the desired topic within the external document.
You should notify the current Emergency Manager for the City of Fort Bragg if you identify a hyperlink that is broken or incorrect. The current Emergency Manager can be identified on the City of Fort Bragg’s website.
Purpose
This plan satisfies the following emergency management program goals and requirements for the county:
A state requirement to create and maintain an EOP as described in the California Emergency Services Act.
Provide information on the City of Fort Bragg’s emergency management structure and how the emergency management team is activated.
Specify policies, roles, resources, and practices of the City and partner agencies as they conduct work before, during, and after an emergency.
Sets forth lines of authority and organizational relationships and shows how actions will be coordinated.
Assign responsibility to organizations and individuals for carrying out specific actions that exceed routine responsibility at projected times and places during an emergency.
Acknowledgement of City’s adoption of the Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS), Incident Command System (ICS), and National Incident Management System (NIMS). This plan accomplishes the following:
Establishes the emergency management organization necessary for response to any emergency or disaster affecting the City of Fort Bragg.
Establishes the overall operational concepts associated with the management of emergencies.
Provides a flexible platform for planning and response to all hazards and emergencies that are likely to affect the City of Fort Bragg. It is applicable to a wide variety of anticipated emergencies including, but not limited to: earthquake, wildland/urban interface fires, floods, terrorism, tsunami, severe storm, and public health emergencies or other biological incidents. The City of Fort Bragg also maintains stand-alone annexes, plans, and standard operating procedures (SOPs) that supplement this plan to address those and other hazards. These annexes are intended to be used in conjunction with this basic plan.
Scope
This plan defines and guides emergency management activities before, during, and after disaster for all involved individuals and agencies. This EOP is designed to be flexible and scalable based on the size and complexity of the event. This EOP is also intended to be adaptable based on the type of hazard of emergency.
Individuals and organizations operating within the city are expected to execute this plan with maximum coordination and should familiarize themselves with their respective roles as outlined within the EOP.
This EOP was developed with input from key partners within the city’s jurisdiction, the surrounding areas, and our partners at the Operational level (County). A thorough multijurisdictional planning and review process with members of the community focusing on inclusivity ensures the EOP meets the needs of all communities within the City of Fort Bragg. More information about the overall community approach and review process can be seen in the Whole Community Approach and Plan Maintenance sections.
Whole Community Approach
“Whole Community” is a means by which emergency management and government officials, organizational and community leaders, and residents collectively understand and assess the needs of their respective communities and determine the best ways to organize and strengthen their assets, capacities, and interests. A Whole Community approach attempts to engage the full capacity of the private and nonprofit sectors, businesses, faith-based and disability organizations, and local, state, and tribal governments to fulfill three guiding principles:
Understand and meet the actual needs of the entire community; Engage and empower all parts of the community; and
Strengthen what works well in the community on a daily basis.
By utilizing a Whole Community approach to emergency management, the City of Fort Bragg can ensure that the interests of special populations are adequately represented throughout both this EOP as well as other emergency planning documents.
The City of Fort Bragg is dedicated to ensuring that this EOP and all corresponding annexes are inclusive to populations who may have special needs during a disaster or emergency situation. This document and corresponding annexes reflect the following considerations:
Integration of cultural competency into emergency preparedness and planning, outreach, mitigation, response, and recovery activities.
Cultural competency is defined as the ability to understand, value, communicate with, and effectively interact with people across cultures in order to ensure that the needs of all community members are addressed, with priority given to culturally diverse communities.
Activities include but are not limited to public information, warnings and other emergency communications; sheltering; evacuation; general community preparedness; mitigation planning; and disaster recovery.
Integration of populations with access and functional needs into emergency preparedness and planning, outreach, mitigation, response, and recovery activities.
Access and functional needs populations consist of individuals who have developmental or intellectual disabilities, physical disabilities, chronic conditions, injuries, limited English proficiency or who are non-English speaking, older adults, children, people living in institutionalized settings, or those who are low income, homeless, or transportation disadvantaged, including, but not limited to, those who are dependent on public transit or those who are pregnant.
Activities include but are not limited to public information, warnings and other emergency communications; sheltering; evacuation; general community preparedness; mitigation planning; and disaster recovery.
Emergency communications are supplemented with the use of interpreters, translators, and assistive technology.
Evacuation resources are compliant with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) for individuals who are dependent on public transportation, while designated shelters are compliant with ADA regulations for accessible entrances, showers, and bathrooms.
All personnel carrying out federal major disaster or emergency assistance functions, including the distribution of supplies, the processing of applications, and other relief and assistance activities, should perform their work in an equitable and impartial manner, without discrimination on the grounds of race, religion, sex, color, age, economic status, physical and sensory limitations, limited English proficiency, or national origin.
The Pet Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act of 2006 amended the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to ensure that state and local government EOPs address the needs of individuals with household pets and service animals after a disaster. The PETS Act is operational when a federal disaster declaration is made and can provide reimbursement for allowable, documented services used in the declared emergency. Eligible costs related to pet evacuations and sheltering is in FEMA’s Public Assistance Program and Policy Guide (PAPPG).
Creating a Whole Community approach not only establishes relationships that facilitate more effective mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery activities, but also leads to increased individual and collective preparedness through the entire city and its surrounding areas. This plan was developed and vetted through a Whole Community partnership that strives for equity and inclusion. All updates to this EOP are presented for comment through the Whole Community partnership.
Situation Overview
The City of Fort Bragg is located approximately 165 miles north of San Francisco and 188 miles west of Sacramento. The City occupies 2.7 square miles of land along the Pacific coast, most of which is between the Noyo River on the south and Pudding Creek to the north. Fort Bragg is the largest city on the Mendocino coast and is a regional service and retail center. The mild climate, picturesque coastline, and historic downtown shopping district make the city a popular tourist and recreational destination.
The 2020 U. S Census reported a population of 6,983 in 2020, 4.0% fewer residents than were recorded in 2010. The base population numbers for Fort Bragg fail to take into consideration four additional critical factors:
Fort Bragg serves as hub for the entire Mendocino coast including supplying the bulk storage of food supplies (grocery stores), being the primary medical care provider (hospitals and ambulances), as well as representing the home station of core fire and law enforcement protection (MCSO Station #2, Cal Fire, and Fort Bragg Fire Department).
Fort Bragg and the surrounding Mendocino Coast remain a tourist destination with thousands visiting annually and up to 10,000 vacationing in the area at one time during peak seasons. This number does not include those visitors coming to the Mendocino Coast for day trips to visit the beaches or other amenities. Tourists and visitors represent a unique problem for emergency planning, as they typically do not have the means to support themselves during unexpected emergencies (i.e. lack of medications, food, clothing, etc.) Fort Bragg is home to a significant population of individuals who are elderly and/or have disabilities. The 2020 U.S. Census estimated that 25.0% of Fort Bragg citizens were 65 years of age or older. This is approximately 10% higher than the State and Ukiah. Also of note, 13.6% of citizens under age 65 in Fort Bragg live with a disability. This is nearly double the State average. This means that approximately 1/3 of Fort Bragg’s population may have difficulty caring for themselves adequately during an emergency. Finally, the Mendocino County Department of Social Services reported in 2024 that at least 450 residents on the Mendocino Coast require In-Home Health Services care.
25.0% of homes in Fort Bragg reported that a language other than English is spoken at home and 15.2% of the population is reported as a foreign-born person. These statistics combined with 33.2% of the population reported as being Hispanic or Latino means that any emergency planning must include provisions for individuals who do not speak English or who primarily speak Spanish.
State Highway 1 is the predominant north-south transportation route through the city, and State Highway 20 is the predominant east-west route. Both of these routes are susceptible to closure during various types or emergencies due to slope slides, bridge failures, wildfire, etc. Of additional consideration is the number of Disaster Service Workers (City employees) who reside outside of the City limits and may be prevented from responding during emergencies due to road closures.
Another critical issue related to the emergency planning for Fort Bragg is the potential for supply disruptions of critical resources. Fort Bragg has a limited amount of food, fuel (propane, diesel and gasoline), medical supplies (oxygen, dialysis, medications). Disruptions of either Highway 1 or Highway 20 could cause immediate short-term resource concerns.
According to the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) developed in 2020 Fort Bragg is most at risk to climate change, drought, earthquake, flood, extreme weather, pandemic, slope failure, and wildfire. Additional concerns developed since the 2020 include communication failures, power outages, and supply disruptions.
Effectively managing risk and emergencies within the city is challenging because of the city’s limited resources, rural setting, and vulnerable access routes—and thus requires close collaboration by entities within the city and, at times, help from outside the city.
Hazards, Threats and Vulnerabilities
Hazard/Threat
Vulnerability and Potential Impacts
Climate Change
While climate change poses a myriad of issues to Fort Bragg, sea level rise or coastal flooding threaten the City’s fresh water sources by causing salt water to move further upstream in the rivers.
Communication Failure
Communication failures as the result of human errors, wildfires, and power outages have the ability to immediately disrupt the supply chain in Fort Bragg. This can include losses to phone, internet, and credit/debit card access.
Cyberattacks
Between 2018 and 2022, the FBI received 3.26 million complaints about cyberattacks, with reported losses totaling $27.6 billion. Cyberattacks are a persistent and growing issue that threatens the City’s continuity of operations.
Drought
Drought continues to be a threat to Fort Bragg despite numerous hazard mitigation efforts pursued by the City. The potential for supply chain disruptions exasperates this hazard.
Earthquake
Fort Bragg sits between the San Andreas (coastal) and Maacama (mountain) fault lines. Both fault lines pose catastrophic risks to the city and surrounding areas. Of additional concern is the number of critical facilities that require seismic upgrades including the Fort Bragg Fire Department, the Hospital, and Corporation Yard. Additionally, a significant number of residential and commercial buildings were constructed prior to 1979 and may require additional retrofitting.
Extreme Weather
Extreme weather continues to be a major concern for Fort Bragg due to the potential for prolonged droughts, heavy rainfall in short periods of time, and high winds resulting in power outages and property damage.
Flood
Both the Harbor District and Ocean Lake Adult Mobile Home park are susceptible to flooding, tsunamis, and sea level rise.
Slope Failure
Slope failures commonly occur in connection with other major natural disaster such as earthquakes and floods; however, slope failures can be caused by normal, seasonal rainfall or erosion. Slope failures represent threats to the road access to Fort Bragg and to the City of Fort Bragg’s water supply as many of its water delivery systems traverse steep slopes in multiple areas.
Power Outage
The Mendocino Coast receives electric energy over interconnected high voltage transmission lines owned and operated by PG&E. These transmission lines pass through rugged heavily wooded terrain that is susceptible to wildfires and slope failures. This causes the Mendocino Coast and Fort Bragg to be at risk of power outages effecting the entire coast or portions of it during extreme weather.
In an effort to protect communities from wildfire, PG&E exercises precautionary measures by de-energizing lines when extreme fire danger conditions exist. These Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) can cause the entire Mendocino Coast to go without power for several days.
During past extended power outages, one of the three major food retailers in Fort Bragg was unable to maintain its food stock and several gas stations were forced to close due to limited backup power capabilities.
Pandemic
Disease outbreak can cause illness and result in significant casualties. In 2020 an outbreak of respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus COVID-19 was identified and the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a “public health emergency of international concern” and Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency for the United States. COVID-19 was characterized as a pandemic and declared by the President a national emergency. Mendocino County declared a local health emergency and shelter in place orders were established. The City of Fort Bragg declared a local emergency. Mendocino County experienced deaths, increased hospitalizations and outbreaks due to the virus.
Wildland/Urban Interface Fire
The terrain, vegetation, and weather conditions are favorable for the ignition and rapid spread of wildland fires. Wildland fire hazards areas are identified by determining the amount of fuel in a given area. Wildfires are moderately likely to occur.
Planning Assumptions
The following circumstances were assumed during plan development:
Any extraordinary set of circumstances that meets the definition of “State of Emergency” under state law is referred to in this plan as an “emergency.” The terms “disaster” and “emergency” are considered synonymous. These terms are not meant to replace the formal definitions of “emergency”, “major disaster”, and “catastrophic incident” as defined by federal doctrine.
Normal systems of public health and safety response (e.g., law enforcement, fire and rescue, and emergency medical assistance) will respond according to their respective authorities and procedures. The focus of this plan is to facilitate coordination among agencies when resources are exhausted or severely limited, or when extraordinary multi-agency coordination is required.
Emergency activity may exhaust or exceed the capability of one or more organizations. Extraordinary efforts to manage scarce resources, especially among multiple organizations, may be required.
The City will lead response to emergencies that occur within our area of primary responsibility.
The State, Federal Government, or another local jurisdiction will lead response to incidents that occur within their jurisdiction Unified Command will be established to lead response where jurisdictions coincide.
The City will provide and request aid during an emergency, pursuant to automatic and mutual aid agreements.
The City will exhaust or expect to exhaust available resources before asking for assistance from other jurisdictions.
The City will implement this emergency plan before requesting emergency assistance.
Mitigation efforts can reduce disaster-related losses. Detailed planning, training, and exercises improves readiness levels within the city.
A major disaster can occur at any time or place. Dissemination of warning to the public and the implementation of readiness measures may be possible. However, emergency situations may develop with little or no warning.
The City of Fort Bragg realizes that policies and plans can have unintended or adverse impacts. It is the goal of this plan to limit these impacts, and strive to create a culture that allows for diversity, equity, and inclusion through all aspects of emergency management in Fort Bragg.
Fort Bragg is a diverse community and individuals may have different needs with respect to their unique situation or circumstances.
Concept of Operations
In accordance with state and federal laws, the City of Fort Bragg has officially adopted and integrated the following emergency management, response, and coordination systems:
Incident Command System (ICS)
Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS)
National Incident Management System (NIMS)
Together, these operational systems outline how critical incidents, emergencies, and disasters will be coordinated in the field, at the local level, and up through the county, region, state, and federal levels. As the cornerstone of California’s emergency response system, SEMS integrates the concepts and principles of both NIMS and ICS. Jurisdictions within the State are required to adopt its use. SEMS unifies all elements of California’s emergency management community into a single integrated structure. SEMS ensures that local communities retain the authority and responsibility for managing and coordinating responses within their jurisdictions, while promoting situational awareness and facilitating the prioritization of resource requests.
SEMS Levels
The five SEMS coordination levels expand outward from the impacted area at the field level, with each successive level representing a larger geographic area. The six coordination levels include Field Response, Local Government, Operational Area, Regional, State, and Federal.
Field Response
As mandated by both SEMS and NIMS, the City utilizes ICS to manage response activities in the field and in the Emergency Operations Center (EOC). ICS provides for common terminology, processes, and position titles, while allowing the delegation of functions (or tasks) to subordinate positions in order to promote proper span of control and unity of command. ICS is applicable to any size incident and is designed to be expandable as the needs of an incident expand or contract.
Field response includes on-scene activities and coordination, consistent with ICS, and includes the use of an Incident Command Post (ICP). Resource requests and situation reports are routed from the field to the next SEMS organizational level, either through participating response agencies or the local EOC if activated.
Local Government
The City of Fort Bragg, as the local government, retains the responsibility and authority for managing response activities within its jurisdiction. To support these efforts, the City may activate its EOC and Department Operations Centers (DOCs). The EOC provides agency coordination, provides logistical support, establishes common operating procedures, identifies overarching priorities, and prioritizes available resources. Additionally, the EOC coordinates with the Mendocino County Operational Area (OA) / County EOC.
Operational Area (OA)
The OA provides response coordination for all political subdivisions within the county’s geographic borders. The OA coordinates response activities within the county’s geographic area through the County EOC, if activated. The OA also serves as a link to regional level and all other OAs within the region.
The City of Fort Bragg is part of the Mendocino County OA and coordinates closely with the Mendocino County Office of Emergency Services (OES). The City participates in Mendocino County OA planning and, during a critical incident, coordinates with the OA through either the Mendocino County OES or the Mendocino County EOC, if activated.
Regional
The State of California is divided into three regions that each maintain Regional Emergency Operations Centers (REOC) to coordinate resource requests, support mutual aid, and promote situational awareness between their respective OAs. The City of Fort Bragg and the Mendocino County OA are within the Coastal Administration Region.
State
When required, California’s State Operations Center (SOC) is activated to facilitate state agency response, mobilize mutual aid, and coordinate with other regions, states, and the federal government.
Federal
NIMS provides a comprehensive national framework for incident management applicable at all jurisdictional levels and across all functional disciplines. The majority of NIMS requirements applicable to the City of Fort Bragg, including the adoption of ICS, are satisfied by the adoption of SEMS. Additional elements of NIMS outline coordination between federal agencies and the use of federal assets and resources.
The National Response Framework (NRF) is built upon the premise that incidents are typically handled at the lowest jurisdictional level. The NRF provides the framework for federal interaction with state, local, tribal, private sector, and non-governmental entities in the context of domestic incident management to ensure timely and effective federal support.
Mutual Aid
The California Mutual Aid System operates within the framework of the California Master Mutual Aid Agreement (MMAA) and under the authority of the California Emergency Services Act. The system allows for the mobilization of resources to and from emergency response agencies, local governments, OAs, regions, and the state with the intent to provide requesting agencies with adequate resources. Mutual aid is utilized by four primary response disciplines:
Fire and Rescue
Law Enforcement
Coroner
Emergency Management
The California Mutual Aid System includes six mutual aid regions in order to facilitate the coordination and flow of mutual aid requests. As part of the Coastal Administration Region, the Mendocino County OA and the City are part of Mutual Aid Region II. The system includes a number of discipline-specific mutual aid systems that operate through designated mutual aid coordinators at the OA, regional, and state levels. Mutual aid requests are coordinated within their geographic area before unfilled requests are forwarded to the next level. See Figure 1 (Mutual Aid Request Process) on the following page.
Figure 1
Mutual Aid Request Process
Mutual aid requests that do not fall into one of the discipline-specific mutual aid systems are handled through the emergency services mutual aid system and by emergency management staff at the local government, OA, regional, and state levels.
The City will assume responsibility for the support of mutual aid personnel and their equipment.
Phases of Emergency Management
Mitigation
The mitigation phase includes actions and measures taken to reduce or eliminate the degree of long-term risk from natural and technological hazards. Whereas preparedness activities increase the City’s ability to respond to the impacts of a hazard, mitigation activities reduce the potential for those impacts in the future, thereby reducing overall risk.
The City participates in local and regional mitigation activities such as the development of risk assessments and mitigation plans. The County’s Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) contains detailed hazard assessments and potential mitigation strategies. The City’s Comprehensive Plan (General Plan) also includes mitigation approaches and elements.
Preparedness
The preparedness phase of emergency management includes activities undertaken prior to an emergency in order to improve the City’s ability to coordinate, respond, and recover from a critical incident. These activities focus on maintaining or improving capabilities that will be used in the response or recovery phases. The City’s preparedness activities emphasize emergency planning, training, and exercises as well as public education and outreach. The City conducts drills and exercises regularly in order to validate ongoing activities, identify areas for improvement, and prioritize or justify future effort and funding. Development of a multi-year exercise plan for City staff is the responsibility of the Assistant Director of Emergency services. The City follows the best practices of the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP). Training and exercise plans are maintained in the appendices.
Planning
Emergency planning includes a wide variety of plans at the strategic, operational, and tactical levels. Strategic plans include the EOP and many of its associated hazard-specific or functional annexes, while operational and tactical planning includes more detailed information such as standard operating procedures (SOP), checklists, personnel assignments, notification rosters, resource lists, and forms.
All City departments are required to participate in the development of relevant strategic and operational plans while ensuring that internal tactical planning is sufficient to meet the needs of their outlined roles and assigned objectives. This includes the development of department-specific SOPs required to meet the objectives outlined for each department.
Response
The response phase includes any actions taken immediately before, during, or directly after a critical incident in order to minimize the potential or existing impacts of the incident.
Pre-Event Response
Some incidents may provide sufficient warning to allow for pre-event or precautionary measures. Depending upon the probability and likelihood of significant impacts, pre-event response activities may include:
Public Warning
Evacuations
Resource Mobilization
Staging
Mutual Aid Requests
Proclamation of a Local Emergency
Emergency Response
Emergency response activities are actions taken during, or in the immediate aftermath, of a critical incident to reduce actual impacts. While these activities are most often associated with traditional response agencies including law enforcement, fire protection, EMS, utilities, and public works, the size and complexity of an incident may require robust support from additional governmental agencies, non-government agencies, and other partners.
When coordinating emergency response activities and addressing competing needs and objectives, the City has established the following broad response priorities:
1. Support Life Safety
2. Protect Property and Infrastructure
3. Reduce Impacts to the Environment
4. Economic Recovery
5. Cultural Preservation
Emergency response may also include activities related to short-term recovery and often overlaps with long-term recovery operations.
Recovery
The recovery phase includes short-term activities focused on returning the community to pre-incident conditions. In some instances when a state or federal disaster declaration has been made, recovery activities include the critical task of identifying, documenting, and quantifying response, and recovery costs eligible for reimbursement.
The City established a task force model for recovery in order to ensure that key aspects of recovery are addressed. The primary task forces that are established that focus on both external and internal recovery operations.
Damage Assessment
Damage assessment activities involve identifying, recording, compiling, and analyzing damage information in order to determine the type of recovery assistance needed. Following major disasters, a process known as a Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) is used to determine preliminary eligibility for certain state and federal financial assistance and reimbursement programs. More information on Damage Assessment can be found in Annex D: Damage Assessment Disaster Assistance Programs
If the disaster is significant enough to warrant a gubernatorial and a presidential federal disaster declaration, additional state and federal assistance may become available. If determined to be eligible, the City and its residents may be able to participate in state and federal disaster assistance programs for the following:
Individuals - may be eligible for loans and grants for housing assistance programs (for homeowners and renters), and uninsured disaster-related necessities (including personal property, medical, dental, and transportation expenses). Other Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act) programs including crisis counseling, disaster unemployment assistance, and legal services, may be available.
Businesses - may be eligible for low-interest loans to assist with uninsured physical damage through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
Government - assistance may be available through state assistance under the California Disaster Assistance Act (CDAA), as well as several federal programs including the FEMA Public Assistance (PA) Grant Program and the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP).
Non-profit Organizations - assistance may be available through the state CDAA, as well as several federal programs including FEMA PA Grant Program for eligible non-profit organizations.
Recovery Documentation
Documentation is the key to recovering eligible emergency response and recovery costs. Damage assessment documentation will be critical in establishing the basis for eligibility of disaster assistance programs. Various state and federal assistance programs require different types of documentation for eligible costs and in addition to structural damage, may include staff time, equipment, and materials used in response to the incident. To support the maximum recovery of eligible reimbursement, City departments and agencies must identify and support internal mechanisms for tracking and documenting appropriate costs.
After Action Report
As part of the recovery phase, and in accordance with SEMS, the State of California requires any city and/or county proclaiming a local emergency for which the Governor proclaims a State of Emergency, to complete and transmit an after action report (AAR) to the California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) within 90 days of the close of the incident period.
Organization and Assignment of Responsibilities
Emergency Management Organization
The City of Fort Bragg utilizes a traditional functional ICS/NIMS format for organizing emergency management.
Director of Emergency Services
The City Manager serves as the City’s Director of Emergency Services and is provided with additional authorities in the event of a proclaimed “local emergency”. During an emergency when the EOC is activated, the City Manager manages and directs all aspects of the City’s emergency response and recovery operations and may delegate authority and tasks to staff. In the absence of the City Manager, designated staff may assume that role per the City’s COOP/COG Plan.
Assistant Directors of Emergency Services
The Assistant Director of Emergency Services reports to the City Manager. The Emergency Manager(s) serving in this function, direct the City’s day-to-day preparedness activities including associated planning, training, and exercises. The Emergency Manager(s) —with the assistance of Department Directors—assist in developing emergency plans, annexes, operating procedures and other powers and duties as assigned.
To achieve this mandate, the Emergency Manager(s) leads or coordinates planning, intelligence, and coordination, not only internally but also with allied agencies such as the Mendocino County OES, the private sector, and the community to promote, coordinate, and advance the four phases of emergency management: preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation.
City Employees
One of the greatest resources the City of Fort Bragg possesses is its employees. California Government Code designates that all public employees are Disaster Services Workers (DSWs). Any employee of the City of Fort Bragg may be assigned to perform activities that promote the protection of public health and safety or the preservation of lives and property. Such assignments may require service at locations, times, and under conditions that are significantly different from the normal work assignment and may continue into the recovery phase of the emergency.
The City has established the following policies for its employees related to their assignment as Disaster Service Workers:
In the event of a no-notice emergency such as an earthquake during regular business hours, City employees are directed to remain at their workplace until released by the City Manager. Department heads may exercise discretion and release employees on a case-by-case basis in extraordinary circumstances.
In the specific instance that an earthquake of magnitude 5.0 or greater occurs during non-business hours and telephone service is disrupted, and if not contacted by mass media or alerting systems, non-public safety City employees are directed to report to work at their next scheduled shift. Employees are directed to check local radio stations, secure their homes, and prepare to report for work.
All employees are required to update their address and phone numbers with Human Resources. This allows the City to maintain an alert list should employees need to be recalled during an emergency.
City Organization
All City Departments have a role in emergency response. Table 1 (below) details City department responsibilities for key response functions in the EOC, either as a Primary (P) or Secondary (S) responsibility.
Function (P) Primary (S) Secondary Care Response Unit
City Attorney
City Manager
City Clerk
City Council
Code Enforcement
Community Development
CV Starr
Economic Development
Engineering
Finance
Fire
Human Resources
Information Technology
Police Department
Public Works
Water/Wastewater
Alert & Warning
S
S
P
Communications
P
S
S
Situation Analysis
S
S
S
S
S
P
S
P
S
S
Management
P
S
S
Public Information
P
P
S
S
S
S
S
Legal Considerations
P
S
Fire Suppression
P
Search and Rescue
P
S
Emergency Medical
P
Law Enforcement
P
Movement & Evacuation
S
P
Access Control
P
S
Care & Shelter
S
P
S
Function (P) Primary (S) Secondary Care Response Unit
City Attorney
City Manager
City Clerk
City Council
Code Enforcement
Community Development
CV Starr
Economic Development
Engineering
Finance
Fire
Human Resources
Information Technology
Police Department
Public Works
Water/Wastewater
Volunteer Coordination
S
S
P
Construction & Engineering
P
Supply & Procurement
P
Personnel Tracking
S
S
P
Transportation
S
P
Utilities
S
P
Finance & Administration
P
Damage Assessment
S
P
S
S
Debris Clearance
S
P
Recovery Planning
S
S
P
S
Assignment of Responsibilities
The following lists summarize the primary and significant disaster response roles and responsibilities for each City department and stakeholder organization. To the extent resources are available, departments may aid other departments.
Adventist Health-Mendocino Coast
Coordinates with the City EOC as to current capabilities Responsible for their own resource requests and emergency operation Coordinates with all medical providers
Care Response Unit
Coordinate Social Services
Support care and shelter needs
Support volunteer coordination
Liaison to special community populations
City Attorney
Support proclamations of local emergency
Assess City operations and provide legal counsel as needed City Clerk
Facilitate and administer proclamations of local emergency Oversee preservation of vital records
Monitor continuity of government
Administer loyalty oath to Disaster Service Worker volunteers as needed Support the City’s Public Information Officer through the consolidation of information and media requests Operate the City’s Joint Information Center/Joint Information System (JIC/JIS) City Manager’s Office
Coordinate incident management and response efforts
Establish response priorities
Authorize proclamations of local emergency
Direct resources and human capital
Develop and maintain communication with Mayor and City Councilmembers Lead emergency public information
Manage media and community relations
City Council / Mayor
Support public information efforts as needed
Support community engagement
Attend public meetings as needed
Review potential or threatened litigation as needed
Serve as a liaison with other city, county, state and/or federal representatives as needed Review and approve the Proclamation of Local Emergency
Visit impacted areas, shelters, and other temporary facilities Review requirements for special legislation and development of policy Consider short and long-term recovery recommendations from staff Code Enforcement
Assist with damage assessments
CV Starr
Coordinate and provide emergency assistance
Develop and coordinate interim and long-term disaster housing Manage emergency shelter operations
Liaison with Humane Society to manage pet care and shelter operations Liaison with Food Bank to coordinate food resources
Community Development
Manage and conduct post-event city facility safety assessments Manage structural safety assessment function and establish structure re-entry standards Coordinate and direct damage assessments
Assist with recovery planning
Economic Development
Serve as an alternate Public Information Officer
Lead initial planning for long-term recovery
Generate recovery reports to be presented to the City Manager and City Council Assist the City Clerk with operating the Joint Information Center/Joint Information System (JIC/JIS) Engineering
Coordinate contractors
Provide resource support (facility space, office equipment/supplies, contracting services, etc.) Anticipate, obtain, and track resources for city staff, mutual aid resources, and volunteers Provide Geography Information Systems (GIS) mapping support as needed Provide engineering services and construction management Fort Bragg Food Bank (Private)
Coordinates with the EOC for the distribution of food and goods to citizens Fort Bragg Unified School District
Coordinates with the EOC to determine resources necessary to open schools during emergencies The Fort Bragg High School is a Red Cross approved ADA compliant evacuation center Coordinates with CV Starr to operate evacuation center
Maintains the City’s primary EOC at the Fort Bragg Middle School Finance
Provide emergency procurement support for life-saving and emergency protective measures Develop financial mechanisms, procurement vehicles, and contracts to support procurement Oversee staff time-keeping
Oversee compensation and claims
Provide fiscal oversight and track expenses
Fire
Conduct wildland, rural, and urban firefighting operations Conduct EMS operations and liaison with County EMS regarding hospital functions Lead mass casualty/fatality management
Conduct Search and Rescue operations
Conduct hazardous materials response operations
Support emergency public warning as needed
Activate and coordinate EOC operations
Conduct assessment of facilities with underground storage tanks with fuel Conduct assessment of facilities with hazardous materials Lead Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid coordination
Emergency Management Staff Lead Emergency Management Mutual Aid (EMMA) coordination Support damage assessment efforts
Provide incident planning and management support as needed Human Resources
Protect, restore, and sustain City staff
Recruit, screen, provide, and track volunteers
Establish internal City staff communications (i.e. develop procedures to insure staff remains informed) Identify any employee needs (ex. childcare, shelter)
Information Technology
Protect, restore, and sustain City cyber and information technology resources Oversee communications within the incident management and response structures Coordinate with telecommunications service providers
Restore and repair telecommunications infrastructure
Mendocino Coast Humane Society (Private)
Responsible for sheltering the pets of evacuees
Coordinates with outside partners for overflow shelter needs Coordinates with the CV Starr Center for resource needs Mendocino Transit Authority
Provides buses for ADA compliant evacuation
Coordinates with EOC for resource needs
Parents and Friends, Inc. (Private)
Coordinates with the EOC for resource needs for the developmentally disabled adult population Maintains a day center for developmentally disabled adults for check-ins during emergencies Police Department
Conduct law enforcement operations
Lead evacuation operations
Conduct emergency public warning as needed
Provide facility and resource security
Establish liaison with Coroner
Lead Law Enforcement Mutual Aid coordination
Conduct security planning and technical resource assistance Impose and enforce curfew as directed
Provide public safety and security support
Provide traffic control
Provide support to access, traffic management, and crowd control at mass care facilities Support damage assessment efforts
Provide incident planning and management support as needed Ensures EOC readiness
Public Works
Conduct infrastructure protection and emergency repair
Conduct infrastructure restoration
Support evacuation operations including individuals requiring assistance Establish and support movement restrictions
Conduct debris clearance and manage debris operations
Conduct flood fight operations
Lead Public Works Mutual Aid coordination
Provide facility repairs and maintenance in support of mass care and emergency shelter operations Coordinate with CalTrans regarding state and federal highways Restore transportation infrastructure
Support damage assessment efforts
Manage City facilities and coordinate use of non-City facilities Supervise transit safety and accessibility
Support transportation function
Redwood Coast Senior Center (Private)
Coordinates with the EOC for resource needs for the senior citizen population Maintains and ADA approved evacuation center for senior citizens Water/Wastewater
Coordinate potable water system resources for prioritized public safety operations Monitor potable water quality and perform sampling/testing as needed Restore/maintain water and wastewater infrastructure
Restore/maintain wastewater treatment plant operations
Provide potable water in support mass care operations as possible Support damage assessment efforts
Ensure compliance with regulatory permits
Direction, Control, and Coordination
Emergency Operations Center (EOC)
The City of Fort Bragg EOC provides a centralized location where emergency management coordination and decision-making can be supported during a critical incident, major emergency, or disaster. When activated, the EOC provides support for a number of critical tasks related to communications, coordination, resource management, and executive leadership.
The EOC may be a physical location or virtual workspace.
Primary and Alternate EOC Locations and Government Offices The primary EOC location will be at the Fort Bragg Middle School Library at 500 N Harold Street. Parking for this EOC will include the 500 Block of N Harold Street and the secured parking to the north of the school accessed from the 500 Block of N Harold Street.
The alternate location for the Emergency Operations Center will be the Fort Bragg Veteran’s Memorial Hall in the 300 Block of N Harrison Street.
The alternate EOC will be activated should the primary EOC be unavailable due to structural damage or access issues.
The Veteran’s Memorial Hall may also serve as an alternate location for government offices should City Hall be unusable or unsafe. If the Veteran’s Memorial Hall is in use as an alternate EOC, the Social Services Building at 764 S Main Street will be used as an alternate location for government offices.
EOC Activation and Deactivation
The City’s EOC remains in a “cold” state when not being used. This means that the EOC is not staffed and that equipment is not in place.
The EOC can be activated in a virtual state for pre-planned events or lower level incidents. A virtual EOC indicates that staff members work from their usual workspaces.
Depending upon the need and circumstances, an official EOC activation may be appropriate to support a number of activities, including:
Field response
Pre-planned events
Local Proclamation of Emergency
Governor’s Proclamation of Emergency
Presidential Declaration of a National Emergency
State of War
Detailed EOC activation and notification criteria and procedures are contained in the City of Fort Bragg’s EOC Manual.
EOC Activation Authority
The following City officials may activate the EOC:
City Manager
Fire Chief
Police Chief
Other City department heads in consultation with the Emergency Manager(s).
EOC Activation Levels
EOC activation levels are scalable based on the nature of the incident and the evolving needs of the City. Activation may include full or partial staffing as required. The EOC Director establishes activation and staffing levels. When the City’s EOC is activated, the Mendocino County OA and other partners will be notified (as practicable). The three levels of EOC activation include:
Full Activation: All Command and General Staff positions and support unit positions are filled.
Partial Activation: Command and General Staff positions are filled, based on incident need.
Monitor: City Emergency Management staff begin setup of the EOC and provide assistance as requested.
The City may also establish Departmental Operation Centers (DOCs) for specific departments (e.g., Public Works, Water, Law etc.), as required to support field operations and coordinate other functions within their respective departments.
Similarly, the deactivation of the EOC will be scaled based on the decreasing needs of the City. Appropriate EOC functions and roles will be demobilized as the situation permits.
EOC Activation Triggers
The decision points used to determine the level of EOC activation needed are outlined in Table 2 (EOC Activation Triggers) below. These are intended to be guidelines and not necessarily mandates.
Event
Decision Points for EOC Activation
PSPS or Extended Power Outage
The City will activate its EOC if a PSPS occurs. The level of activation will be dependent on the number of customers impacted and any other factors effecting the community at that time.
The activation levels are used as a guide to aid in decision-making, and are not precedent setting:
• EOC Activation Level 3 (Monitor): o Up to 25% of city population without power • EOC Activation Level 2 (Partial):
o > 25% of city population without power
Earthquake
The City may activate the EOC to a Level 1:
• If an earthquake > M5.0 occurs and/or if there are any reported damages from city departments.
Slopeslide
The City will activate the EOC to a Level 3 at a minimum:
• If a slope slide occurs that requires the Public Works DOC to activate. • If a slope slide results in injuries or loss of life.
Human Caused
The City will activate the EOC to a Level 3 at a minimum:
• If Fort Bragg Police or Fire Department request mutual aid outside of county resources.
Water Quality / Water System Issues
The City may activate the EOC:
• If there were a main break that affects a critical service, such as a hospital. • If there were a main break that has the potential to cause a landslide or enter a roadway.
COOP/COG
The City may activate the EOC:
• If any of the City’s Essential Functions are disrupted.
Extreme Weather
The City may activate the EOC:
-If a storm is expected to bring more than 5.0 inches of rain in a 24-hour period -If sustained winds are expected to reach 45 miles per hour (mph) or if gusts are expected to reach 60 mph.
EOC Organization
The EOC is organized by the five major functional areas outlined in SEMS:
Management
Planning and Intelligence
Operations
Logistics
Finance/Administration
City Department Responsibilities for EOC Staffing
Table 3 (City Department EOC Function Responsibilities) below summarizes City department responsibilities for staffing key EOC functions.
Table Three
City Department EOC Functions
Function (P) Primary (S) Secondary Care Response Unit
City Attorney
City Manager
City Clerk
City Council
Code Enforcement
Community Development
CV Starr
Economic Development
Engineering
Finance
Fire
Human Resources
Information Technology
Police Department
Public Works
Water/Wastewater
Management Section
EOC Director
P
S
S
Public Information Officer
P
S
S
Emergency Manager
P
Legal Officer
P
Safety Officer
S
P
Access & Functional Needs
P
S
Operations Section
Operations Section Chief
S
S
P
Fire & Rescue
P
Law Enforcement
P
Public Works
P
S
Water
P
S
Care & Shelter
S
P
Planning & Intelligence Section
Planning & Intel Section Chief
P
S
S
S
Situation Analysis
P
S
S
S
Damage Assessment
P
S
S
S
GIS/Mapping
P
Message Center
P
S
Advance Planning
S
P
Logistics Section
Logistics Section Chief
P
P
S
Communications
P
S
Supply/Procurement
P
S
S
Transportation
S
P
S
Function (P) Primary (S) Secondary Care Response Unit
City Attorney
City Manager
City Clerk
City Council
Code Enforcement
Community Development
CV Starr
Economic Development
Engineering
Finance
Fire
Human Resources
Information Technology
Police Department
Public Works
Water/Wastewater
Human Resources
S
S
P
Volunteers
S
S
P
Facilities
P
P
Resources Status
P
P
Finance & Admin Section
Finance & Admin Section Chief
S
P
Payables
S
P
Time Keeping / Claims
S
P
Documentation & Cost
S
P
Continuity of Government
The below table represents the lines of succession should key government officials be unavailable or are incapacitated. Individuals appointed to higher position shall have all of the authority of that position for no longer than 30 days, or until approval of the City Council.
Chief Elected Official
City Manager
Police Chief
1. Mayor
1. City Manager
1. Police Chief
2. Vice-Mayor
2. Police Chief
2. Police Captain
3. Councilmember
3. Public Works Director
3. Senior Sergeant
Vital Record Retention
The retention of vital records is the responsibility of the City Clerk and Information Technology. The majority of records are maintained on a server within City Hall, and backed up a server at the Police Department (separate facility). Additionally, a cloud-based server is used for the bulk of our digital records. Backups occur every 14 calendar days.
Hard copies of records are maintained at City Hall and at the Police Department. A separate plan exists for the evacuation of records in the case of emergency.
Emergency Powers
Local Proclamation of Emergency
The State of California Government Code allows a local emergency to be proclaimed by a city council, county, or by an official designated by ordinance adopted by the governing body.
If the City of Fort Bragg determines that the effects of an emergency are, or may become, beyond the capability of local resources, a local emergency can be proclaimed. The Fort Bragg City Council has empowered the City Manager as the Director of Emergency Services to issue a proclamation of local emergency when the City Council is not in session. Such a proclamation of local emergency is invalid after 7 days, unless ratified by the City Council. Proclamations must be made within 10 days of occurrence to qualify for assistance under the California Disaster Assistance Act (CDAA) and must be renewed every 30 days until terminated.
A local proclamation of emergency allows the City Manager and the Director of Emergency Services to take measures necessary to protect and preserve public health and safety, and supports requests for state and federal assistance. A local proclamation clearly communicates to City residents, staff and other stakeholders the severity of the emergency. A proclamation also provides City staff with additional powers and authorities to increase the speed and effectiveness of City response activities.
A local proclamation of emergency does not automatically make the City eligible for state or federal disaster assistance. The City may simultaneously proclaim a local emergency and request a gubernatorial (state) or presidential (federal) disaster proclamation/declaration. See Attachment 1 for sample emergency proclamations.
Mendocino County can proclaim an emergency separately from the City. Their proclamation may also make the City eligible for future participation in state or federal disaster response/recovery efforts.
State of Emergency
After a proclamation of a local emergency, the governing body of the City, having determined that local resources are not sufficient to mitigate the situation, may request by letter or resolution that the Governor proclaim a state of emergency in the area to fully commit state and mutual aid assistance and provide resources to assist the local government.
To support its request for a gubernatorial proclamation, it is essential that the City forward an estimate of damage and financial loss to Cal OES through the Mendocino County OA as quickly as possible. Estimates of loss are an important part of the criteria that Cal OES considers when making a determination to proclaim a state of emergency and request a presidential declaration of emergency or disaster. A copy of the request for a Governor’s proclamation, with the following supporting data, must be forwarded to the Mendocino County OA Coordinator for transmission to the Cal OES Director. The data shall include a copy of the local emergency proclamation and the Initial Damage Assessment (IDA) summary that estimates the severity and extent of the damage.
The Cal OES prepares a recommendation as to the action that should be taken by the Governor. If the action recommends a Governor’s proclamation, Cal OES prepares the proclamation. The Governor may also proclaim a State of Emergency without a local request if the safety of persons and property in the state are threatened by conditions of extreme peril, or emergency conditions are beyond the emergency response capacity and capabilities of local authorities.
In addition to declaring a State of Emergency, the Governor can proclaim a State of War Emergency whenever the state or the nation is attacked by an enemy of the United States, or upon receipt by the state of a warning from the federal government indicating that such an enemy attack is probable or imminent. The provisions of the Governor granted under a State of War Emergency are the same as those granted under a State of Emergency.
Presidential Declaration
Following the proclamation of a State of Emergency, and with or without the City’s request to do so, the Cal OES Director may recommend that the Governor request a Presidential Declaration of a major disaster under the authority of Public Law 93-288. The Governor's request to the President is submitted through the FEMA. Supplementary justification data may be required to accompany the state and local proclamations and initial damage estimate. A Presidential Declaration of Major Disaster is required in order to access the bulk of federal disaster assistance programs.
Other Powers
Other local, state, and federal authorities such as public health emergencies or quarantines may grant broad powers to certain government officials to restrict movement or impose other restrictions in proclaimed emergencies.
Curfew
The City Council or whomever the City Council has authorized to restrict the movement of people and property during an emergency is primarily responsible for ordering an evacuation, quarantine, curfew, or other restriction on travel. This authorization may be in the form of an ordinance, resolution, or order that the Council has enacted. Curfews may be initiated as a crime prevention measure depending on the intensity of the disaster and the level of damage sustained. The decision to implement a curfew and the duration rests with the City Council, but said curfews should be coordinated through the Mendocino County OA. Curfews may be implemented Citywide, or within specific areas depending on the emergency.
The Chief of Police also has curfew authority: “For the suppression of riot, public tumult, disturbance of the peace, or resistance against the laws or public authorities in the lawful exercise of their functions, the chief of police has the powers conferred upon sheriffs by general law and in all respects is entitled to the same protection.” Specifically, “The Sheriff shall prevent and suppress any affrays, breaches of the peace, riots and insurrections which come to his knowledge, and investigate public offenses which have been committed.” The Sheriff also has the responsibility for closing areas to the public and consequently to order an evacuation. Although the regulation uses the term “Sheriff”, the Chief of Police is provided with the same authority.
Fire Marshal
In accordance with the California Code of Regulations Title 24, Part 9 of the Fire Code, the Fire Marshal is authorized to enforce provisions of the Fire Code and to render interpretations of the Fire Code, and to adopt policies, procedures, rules and regulations in order to clarify the application of those code provisions related to structures, processes, premises and safeguards regarding all of the following:
The hazard of fire and explosion arising from the storage, handling or use of structures, materials, or devices.
Conditions hazardous to life, property, or public welfare in the occupancy of structures or premises.
Fire hazards in the structure or on the premises from occupancy operation.
Matters related to the construction, extension, repair, alteration or removal of fire suppression or alarm systems.
Conditions affecting the safety of fire fighters and emergency responders during emergency operations.
While the Fire Marshal’s authority does not expand in a proclaimed local emergency, their code enforcement efforts may be used to ensure public safety throughout the City with the exception of Single Family Dwellings.
Information Collection, Analysis, and Dissemination
During emergencies and major disasters, it is recommended that representatives from partnering agencies be present in the EOC to expedite communication. The EOC will incorporate agency representatives from City Department to facilitate interagency communication. Each agency representative will coordinate between the EOC and their respective organizations at both the administration-level and/or with personnel in the field, as required.
Information Collection
Information collection is crucial for successful emergency operations, for both incident management in the field and the EOC. The EOC and other emergency operations/coordination centers need updated information to assess whether the needs of field personnel are being met. Without this information, those facilities are unable to assist or resupply the needs of an Incident Commander (IC). Conversely, ICs and other field personnel need to know when they can expect requested support. The EOC actively collects information concerning conditions observed throughout the City from all available sources, such as phone calls from residents, updates from impacted communities, and reports from the news media. These information sources help with the initial response, delegating resources, assisting residents, and positioning damage assessment teams. Additionally, the EOC’s Planning Section analyzes and compiles information regarding developing conditions and disseminates to stakeholders in order to support the development of incident objectives and decision-making.
Communications
Internal Communications and Coordination
Coordination with field elements from the EOC may be coordinated through relevant DOCs or directly with an Incident Commander.
Additionally, the City of Fort Bragg EOC will communicate and coordinate with the Mendocino County OA EOC and other cities within the Mendocino County OA. Each city, including Fort Bragg, will provide situational awareness and relevant resource status to the Mendocino County OA EOC, and in turn, the Mendocino County OA EOC will push aggregated countywide information back to each city.
In some cases, mutual aid for disciplines with other established mutual aid systems (such as law enforcement) will use such systems while in other cases (commonly known as single-point ordering), the requests will go from the City of Fort Bragg EOC Logistics section to the Mendocino County OA EOC.
External Communications and Coordination
The City EOC will also coordinate with outside agencies such as special districts, public utilities, volunteer organizations and/or private agencies. These agencies will communicate directly with the City and may provide a representative to the City EOC, as outlined in the City of Fort Bragg’s EOC manual. The level of involvement of special districts, public utilities, volunteer organizations, and private agencies will vary considerably depending upon the type of incident. EOC staff will make use of existing voice and data systems as available.
The City EOC also utilizes the County’s Nixle alert system to provide alert and warning messages to the public within the City limits in the event of an imminent threat requiring the public to take a specific action. Nixle alerts should be issued in English and Spanish to ensure they reach individuals who may not speak English. Details about public alert and warning can be found in Annex B: Alert and Warning.
All attempts should be made to have one bilingual staff member in the EOC to respond to inquiries and concerns or to receive information from Spanish speaking community members.
The Joint Information Center/Joint Information System (JIC/JIS) is the central distribution point for communicating with the news media and the public. News media channels on radio and television communicate public information provided the JIC. The JIC will also post information to the City’s website as available. During incidents where telecommunications may be down, the JIC should post updates on the bulletin board at City Hall, at the Police Department, and at Town Hall.
Coordination with the Field Responders
In a major emergency, the City EOC may be activated to coordinate and support the overall response while field responders use ICS. The Incident Commander will initially be the most senior officer of the first responding agency. Responding agencies will determine the most appropriate agency and officer to assume Incident Command. Field coordination occurs under the leadership of the Incident Commander at the ICP.
Incident Commanders for transportation/public works, water, fire, and police may communicate with their respective DOC, which in turn will coordinate with the City EOC. Incident Commanders may also report directly to the City EOC, usually to their counterpart in the Operations Section. When the City EOC is directly overseeing Incident Command teams, the EOC is operating in a centralized coordination and support mode.
Coordination with the Mendocino County Operational Area Coordination and communications should be established between the activated City of Fort Bragg EOC and the Mendocino County OA EOC. Mendocino County uses an Operational Area Multi Agency Coordination System (MACS) concept when developing response and recovery operations. When and where possible, Mendocino County will include jurisdictional representatives in planning for jurisdictional support.
Administration, Finance, and Logistics
Administration and Finance
Any eligible entity desiring federal disaster assistance is responsible for tracking, compiling, and submitting accurate and complete disaster-related expenditures incurred during the incident period to the EOC Finance Section Chief. The City will add this information to the State’s Preliminary Damage Assessment for requesting supplemental federal assistance under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act).
During the disaster recovery process that follows a federal declaration approved under the Stafford Act, the Director of Emergency Services is designated as City of Fort Bragg “applicant agent.” As applicant agent, the Director of Emergency Services - or the Chief Financial Officer - as the alternate applicant agent—is authorized to submit incident-related reimbursement requests from eligible entities of county government for federal disaster assistance provided under the Stafford Act.
Logistics
Resource acquisition and distribution is divided into pre-incident—which is usually preventative, although can also be in anticipation of a specific event—incident specific, and post-incident phases. Grants typically fund pre-incident resource acquisition. Procurement of goods related to pre-incident resource acquisition follow the normal rules for purchases established in City of Fort Bragg centralized procurement policy located in Fort Bragg Municipal Code 3.20.
Grant or FEMA procedures are implemented by centralized procurement staff, utilizing either federal/grant or City policy for procurement, whichever is more restrictive. Incident-specific acquisitions for an impacted entity typically begin with a localized declaration of emergency, resource requests from field personnel such as an Incident Commander, or in anticipation of an event by an authorized official. Procurement of both incident specific (exigent) and post-incident resources may occur through processes allowed via Fort Bragg Municipal Code 3.20, either by quoted process, direct purchase (from a supplier/vendor) when appropriate, through local government mutual aid, or existing contracts if established with correct terms/conditions for the particular incident.
During EOC activations, the EOC’s Logistics Section - under the direction of the EOC Manager - manages resources provided in support of emergency operations. When there are multiple competing resource requests for a limited supply of resources, the EOC Manager prioritizes resource acquisition based on the current situation and under advisement from the Operations Section Chief. The scale or complexity of incident, competing requests, ongoing threats to life safety or property and the environment, current or expected conditions (such as weather), location of the resource relative to the incident scene, and the means of distribution/delivery are several of the factors that can influence prioritization of resource requests.
A general rule should be that competing resource requests be prioritized by:
Issues presenting an immediate threat to human life
Issues related to the long-term health of community members Property, especially critical infrastructure
Environmental Concerns
Economic Concerns
Cultural Preservation
The EOC will track all resources provided for responding to and recovering from emergencies and major disasters. Whenever possible, resources are returned to their original configuration/condition upon demobilization.
Plan Development and Maintenance
The City Manager, through the efforts of the City’s Emergency Preparedness Manager, is responsible for the review, revision, management, and distribution of the EOP. The EOP will be reviewed on an annual basis but may be modified at any time as a result of a post-incident or post-exercise evaluation, and changes in responsibilities, procedures, laws, or regulations.
This EOP Basic Plan is subject to a formal review and approval by the City Council every three years, whereas the Hazard Specific and Functional Annexes are revised as needed and are not subject to formal review. The annexes are considered an extension of this EOP. The EOP will be distributed to City staff, key stakeholder organizations, and will be posted on the City’s website for public reference.
Changes made to the basic plan require approval by the City Council with the exception that temporary changes which may be made for no longer than 7 days. Temporary changes shall expire after 7 days if not approved by the City Council. The intent of temporary changes is to allow this plan to be flexible during emergencies and in light of new and developing information.
This shall be the official “Emergency Operations Plan for the City of Fort Bragg” and shall supersede previous plans. Nothing in this plan shall be construed in a manner that limits the use of good judgment and common sense in matters not foreseen or covered by the elements of the plan or any appendices Authorities and References
Local
Fort Bragg Municipal Code, Chapter 2.24
Fort Bragg Municipal Code, Chapter 3.20
Mendocino County
Mendocino County Code, Title 2, Chapters 2.28, 2.33
Mendocino County Code, Title 5, Chapter 5.12
Mendocino County Code, Title 7, Chapter 7.04
Mendocino County Code, Title 8, Chapter 8.80
Mendocino County Code, Title 9, Chapter 9.05
Mendocino County Code, Title 20, Chapters 20.168, 20.020, 20.500, 20.532, 20.720 Mendocino County Code, Title 22, Chapter 22.04
State
State authority is to be found, in part, in the California Emergency Services Act (Chapter 7 of Division 1 of Title 2 of the Government Code). California state and local jurisdictions use SEMS as outlined in Chapter 1 of Division 2 of Title 19 of the California Code of Regulations and the California Government Code §8607 et sec.
The following authorities and references are also applicable:
Standardized Emergency Management System Regulations: California Code of Regulations, Title 19, Division 2, Chapter 1 Disaster Assistance Act Regulations: California Code of Regulations, Title 19, Division 2, Chapter 6 Local Emergency Prevention Measures for County Health Official: California Health and Safety Code §101040 California Disaster and Civil Defense Master Mutual Aid Agreement California Disaster Assistance Act
SB-160: Emergency Services Cultural Competence
Orders and Regulations that may be promulgated by the Governor during a State of Emergency or a State of War Emergency Federal
Federal authority is found in the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act of 1988 (Public Law 93-288), Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5, “Management of Domestic Incidents” and Homeland Security Presidential Directive 8, “National Preparedness”. The emergency management system used nationally is NIMS.
The following authorities and references are applicable:
Robert T. Stafford Emergency Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. §5121 et seq., as amended) Code of Federal Regulations: Title 44, Part 206
Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5, Management of Domestic Incidents, National Incident Management System, February 28, 2003 National Response Framework, Second edition, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, July 2014 Acronym List
ADA Americans with Disabilities Act
AFN Access and Functional Needs
CBO Community Based Organization
COOP/COG Continuity of Operations Plan / Continuity of Government COPE Citizens Organized to Prepare for Emergencies
DOC Department Operations Center
DSW Disaster Service Worker
EMMA Emergency Management Mutual Aid
EMS Emergency Medical Services
EOC Emergency Operations Center
EOP Emergency Operations Plan
FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency
ICS Incident Command System
ICP Incident Command Post
JIC/JIS Joint Information Center / Joint Information System MJHMP Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan
NIMS National Incident Management System
NRF National Response Framework
OA Operational Area
OES Office of Emergency Services
PSPS Public Safety Power Shutoff
REOC Regional Operations Center
SEMS Standardized Emergency Management System
SOP Standard Operational Procedure
1 A DOC is the same as an EOC except the a DOC is used for specific disciplines such as law enforcement, fire, or Public Works. The DOC reports to the EOC when the EOC is activated.
Mutual Aid Region II is synonymous with Coastal Administration Region This section was added by SB-160 in 2019
See California Government Code (Sections 8630-8634) authorizing local government proclamations and Fort Bragg Municipal Code (Section 2-24.050) authorizing the City Manager or Director of Emergency Services to declare a local proclamation of emergency, if the City Council is not in session.
See Emergency Proclamations: A Quick Reference Guide for Local Government, California OES, 2014 See California Government Code (Sections 8625-8629) authorizing actions and power of the Governor to declare a State of Emergency.
See Legal Guidelines for Controlling Movement of People and Property During an Emergency, California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, 1999 California Government Code Section 26602
California Penal Code Sections 409, 409.5, 409.6