City Council
Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: MARCH 25, 2025 FROM: FIRE DEPARTMENT WARDS: ALL
SUBJECT: ADOPTION OF COMPREHENSIVE UPDATE OF THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN AND RESOLUTION PROMULGATING THE PLAN ISSUE:
The issue for City Council is the adoption of a comprehensive update to the City’s Emergency Operations Plan.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
Adopt the attached resolution approving the City of Riverside’s Emergency Operations Plan, Basic Plan; Authorize the City Manager as the Director of Emergency Services of the City of Riverside or his/her designee to amend the Emergency Operations Plan to make those changes which may become necessary in the future to keep the plan current, functional, and in accordance with State and Federal guidelines; Authorize the City Manager as the Director of Emergency Services to approve new and updated Emergency Support Function (ESF) Annexes, Hazard Annexes to the Emergency Operations Plan, and subsidiary plans as needed to keep plans current, functional, and in accordance with State and Federal Guidelines.
BACKGROUND:
The current City of Riverside Emergency Operations Plan (EOP), adopted in 2011 and last updated in 2021, identifies the City’s emergency organization, planning, and response to emergency and disaster events. The EOP identifies emergency management systems, defines roles and responsibilities of the City’s emergency response system, and provides triggers for Plan implementation during disasters, all of which, along with training and exercises, prepares the City for effectively responding and recovering from disasters. The Plan addresses integration and coordination with other governmental agencies, and non-governmental organizations involved in emergency preparedness, response, and recovery operations as part of the "whole community" approach.
Beginning in 2021, the City of Riverside Fire Department Office of Emergency Management began working with Aanko Technologies Inc., an emergency management firm, to conduct a comprehensive update of the City EOP.
DISCUSSION:
The City of Riverside Emergency Operations Plan Basic Plan and annexes were developed using feedback from multiple planning efforts over the past several years including the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, Pandemic Preparedness Plan, Riverside County Emergency Operations Plan, event and incident after actions and best practices in addition to partner meetings and engagements on this EOP. The updated EOP is integrated with the Riverside County Operational Area Plan and other City department plans to better coordinate response efforts.
The City of Riverside Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) Basic Plan is the City’s Emergency Organization’s framework before, during and after disaster strikes. During the update of this plan, we conducted a comprehensive rewrite of the EOP Basic Plan to ensure consistency and integration with the County of Riverside Operational Area EOP, partner plans, and considering best practices.
Key Updates to the EOP Include:
Reformatting: The EOP was reformatted to comply with the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) changes to the Comprehensive Preparedness Guide (CPG) 101, which outlines guidelines for developing and maintaining Emergency Operations Plans.
Integration: The updated plan was integrated with the Operational Area EOP.
Disabilities, Access, and Functional Needs (DAFN) Planning: Updated and revised considerations for disabilities, access, and functional needs in all planning efforts to ensure inclusivity and accessibility in emergency preparedness, response and recovery.
Emergency Support Functions (ESF): The EOP incorporated updates to Emergency Support Functions (ESF), ensuring a more robust and coordinated response framework.
The adoption of this EOP is not a one-time event; annual review, updates, and testing the EOP ensures its effectiveness and allows it to evolve in between major plan revisions. The EOP is a living document, and we seek continual public and partner feedback on the plan. We will update it based on that feedback, lessons from our own emergencies or activations, and best practices from other jurisdictions after action reports.
After adoption by Council the City of Riverside Office of Emergency Management will work with departments and partners to train and exercise to the new plan. They will finalize the Emergency Support Functions Annexes (ESF) and Hazard Annexes, and coordinate with departments in the update of any plans, policies, and procedures to meet the EOP Basic Plan and its annexes through that training and exercise process.
Concurrence of the following departments has been achieved:
City Manager’s Office
City Attorney’s Office
City Clerk’s Office
Community and Economic Development
Finance Department
General Services
Housing and Homeless Solutions
Innovative Technology
Library
Marketing and Communications
Museum
Park, Recreation, and Community Services
Police Department
Public Utilities
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
This item contributes to Strategic Priority No. 2 Community Well-Being and Goal 2.4 – support programs and innovations that enhance community safety, encourage neighborhood engagement, and build public trust.
Community Trust – The development and subsequent adoption of the Emergency Operations Plan will guide City decisions while incorporating community input.
Equity – The Office of Emergency Management provides public safety to all residents, visitors and those that conduct business in the City of Riverside. By adopting an Emergency Operations Plan the OEM has an equitable response and recovery framework.
Fiscal Responsibility – The Emergency Operations Plan provides a mechanism along with the municipal code to conduct financial decisions that are in the public’s best interest during large scale emergencies and disasters.
Innovation – The adoption of an Emergency Operations Plan provides a roadmap to ensure the evolving needs of the community are met to respond to disasters.
Sustainability & Resiliency – To meet the community’s current needs and ensure the City and Office of Emergency Management are prepared for the ever-demanding increase in natural hazards tied to climate change, the proposed adoption and utilization of the Emergency Operations Plan represents the city’s proactive stance toward disaster prevention/mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no immediate fiscal impact associated with this report or the with the adoption of this Plan.
Prepared by: Mark D. Annas, Emergency Services Administrator Approved by: Steve McKinster, Fire Chief
Certified as to
availability of funds: Kristie Thomas, Finance Director/Assistant Chief Financial Officer Approved by: Edward Enriquez. Assistant City Manager/Chief Financial Officer Approved as to form: Jack Liu, Interim City Attorney
Attachments:
Resolution Promulgating the Emergency Operations Plan
Emergency Operations Plan
Presentation
City of Riverside EOP ● Page 2