TO: RULES AND OPEN FROM: Raymond Riordan
GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE
SUBJECT: See Below DATE: February 21, 2025
Approved Date
2/27/2025
SUBJECT: Emergency Management and City Council Role in Emergencies Study Session
RECOMMENDATION
Set a City Council Study Session entitled Emergency Management and City Council Role in Emergencies for Thursday, April 3, 2025 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in the Emergency Operations Center at 1591 Senter Road and approve the Study Session agenda.
PURPOSE
This Study Session will be conducted as a Tabletop Exercise demonstrating how the updated Emergency Operations Plan, Annexes, and Support Plans will be implemented in an emergency or disaster; how the coordination between the City Emergency Operations Center and the ten Disaster District Offices) works; and how communications with the public are coordinated.
OUTCOME
By the end of the Study Session, the Mayor and Councilmembers will:
• Have a better understanding of their role during an emergency or disaster; • Discuss actions to take during an emergency or disaster; • Experience how the Emergency Operations Center collects information, creates situation status reports, and communicates with elected officials through the Disaster District Office, as needed; and
• Discuss key information on the updated emergency plans and procedures.
RULES COMMITTEE: 3/5/25
ITEM: B.2
RULES AND OPEN GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE
February 21, 2025
Subject: Emergency Management and City Council Role in Emergencies Study Session
SUMMARY
The City Manager’s Office of Emergency Management supports the City Manager, who is the City’s Director of Emergency Services, in developing, maintaining, and managing the City’s emergency management capabilities, including the City’s primary, alternate, and mobile Emergency Operations Centers, emergency communications, and all other aspects of Multi-Agency Coordination Systems used during an emergency or disaster in the City of San José.
Currently, the Emergency Management Objectives include the following:
• The City has a plan to tackle any emergency.
• Employees, residents, and businesses are ready to take action and able to answer a “call to action.”
• Our community trusts the City to let them know when an emergency is coming, and the public provides vital information to the City.
• Our emergency response is optimized through technology.
On July 10, 2017, the City’s Emergency Management Work Group was formed with the purpose of improving the readiness of the City of San José following the impacts of the 2017 Coyote Creek Flood. Each Department Director identified a management representative to participate in the Emergency Management Work Group. The department representative has the authority to commit the department’s resources and personnel to support emergency preparedness, planning, response, and recovery activities. The Emergency Management Work Group meets regularly to review improvement progress. During the Study Session, department leads will provide updates on annexes and support plans to the Emergency Operations Plan - Base Plan that was adopted by City Council in May 2024.
ANALYSIS
A Study Session agenda accompanies this memorandum. The format and flow of the Study Session will follow the Department of Homeland Security’s Exercise and Evaluation Program requirements. The Study Session will take place at the City’s Emergency Operations Center. The facility will be arranged to demonstrate the relationship between the Emergency Operations Center, Department Operations Centers, Disaster District Offices, shelter and other field activities, and public information and liaison functions. The Mayor, Councilmembers, and participants will be provided a Situation Manual with instructions, scenario information, and key questions designed to stimulate discussion on response issues, communication, public information, and operations. The format will include a staff presentation, structured questions, informal dialogue, and public comment. The Study Session will conclude with
RULES AND OPEN GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE
February 21, 2025
Subject: Emergency Management and City Council Role in Emergencies Study Session
a discussion on the progress of the City-wide emergency management program and future considerations as the city becomes “quake ready.” /s/
Raymond Riordan
Director, Office of Emergency
Management
For questions, please contact Raymond Riordan, Director of the Office of Emergency Management at [email protected] or (408) 794-7050.
Attachment: Draft Study Session Agenda
City Council Meeting Agenda
Study Session
Emergency Management
and
City Council Role in Emergencies
Thursday, April 3, 2025
9:00 A.M.
Location:
Emergency Operations Center
1591 Senter Road
• Call to Order and Roll Call
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Study Session – Emergency Management and City Council Role in Emergencies, Emergency Operations Center, 1591 Senter Road
CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION
Purpose
This Study Session will be conducted as a Tabletop Exercise demonstrating how the updated Emergency Operations Plan, Annexes, and Support Plans will be implemented in an emergency or disaster; how the coordination between the City Emergency Operations Center and the ten Disaster District Offices works; and how communications with the public are coordinated.
Outcome
By the end of the session, the Mayor and City Councilmembers will:
• Have a better understanding of their role during an emergency or disaster; • Discuss actions to take during an emergency or disaster; • Experience how the Emergency Operations Center staff collects information, creates situation status reports, and communicates with the elected officials through the Disaster District Office, as needed; and
• Discuss key information on the updated emergency plans and procedures.
1. Review Emergency Operations Center Activations and Role of the Elected Officials
2. Tabletop Exercise
• Public Comment
Members of the public may comment on agendized items only at this Special Meeting.
There will be no Open Forum. Cal. Govt. Code §54954.3(a). • Adjournment