City of San José
City Council Study Session on
Emergency Management
April 03, 2025
Facilitators:
Assistant City Manager, Lee Wilcox
Deputy City Manager, Jennifer Schembri
Director, Office of Emergency Management, Raymond Riordan Presenters:
Senior Executive Analyst, Office of Emergency Management, Karen Truong
Introduction
Mayor’s Welcoming Remarks
City Manager’s Opening Remarks
2 Study Session Structure
Introduction – 5 minutes
Module 1 – 45 minutes
Module 2 – 115 minutes
Public Comment – 10 minutes
Closing Remarks – 5 Minutes
3 Overview
This Study Session will provide an overview on:
1. Recent Emergency Management Organization (EMO) activations,
2. The role of the elected officials during an emergency,
3. Purpose of the Disaster District Office (DDO),
4. Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP), and
5. EMO functions.
4 Facilitators and Presenter
MODULE 1
Ray Riordan, Director,
Office of Emergency
Management
Karen Truong, Senior
Executive Analyst, Office
of Emergency
Management
MODULE 2
Lee Wilcox, Assistant City
Manager
Jennifer Schembri,
Deputy City Manager
5 Module #1
Overview
1. Review of past Emergency
Management Organization activations
2. Discuss recent experiences
3. Present on Disaster District Offices
6 7
8 Emergency Management Organization
Activations
2022 2023 2024 2025
COVID-19 Winter Storm Events Cold Weather Event
Winter Storm & Atmospheric River Events Excessive Heat Events Inclement Weather Events
Home Depot Fire PG&E PSPS #5
Extreme Heat Event National Election Safety
PG&E PSPS #4 Humboldt EQ/Tsunami
Recent Experiences
Understanding that the City is faced with many hazards, and the Emergency Management Organization (EMO) has been activated frequently, what are some of your fears and/or concerns? What kinds of information from the EMO would you expect? 9 Disaster District Offices
Maintain and support continuity of government operations Connection to real-world information for the EOC
Force multiplier for emergency information
NOT Incident Commander or First Responder
10 11
Q uestions
12 Module #2
Overview
1. Overview of Continuity of Operations
Plan
2. Overview of EOC Functions
3. Earthquake Scenario
4. Tabletop Exercise
5. Council Discussion
6. City Manager’s Closing Remarks
13 Continuity of Operations Plan
14 15
Emergency Management
Organization Functions
16 17
Tabletop Exercise
18 Management
Section
Emergency Operations Center
Director
Emergency Public Information
Branch
Liaison Branch
Legal Advisor
Safety Officer
Access and Functional Needs
Coordinator
19 20
Management
Section
Emergency Operations Center
Director
Emergency Public Information
Branch
Liaison Branch
Legal Advisor
Safety Officer
Access and Functional Needs
Coordinator
21 Operations Section
Operations Section Coordinator
Law Enforcement Branch
Fire and Rescue Branch
Transportation Branch
Public Works Branch
Damage Assessment Branch
Community Emergency Response Team
Mass Care and Shelter Brach
Housing Branch
Department Operations Center
Public Works
Transportation
Airport
Parks and Recreation
Police
Fire
PBCE
22 23
Planning Section
Planning Section Coordinator
Situation Status Branch
Action Planning Unit
Advanced Planning Unit
Documentation Unit
24 Example of an
“Unfocused
Evacuation”
Evacuation Route
Planning Today
• Everyone leaves at the same
time without pre-planning
• Likely worst case trip time (time
to safety) is 6 hrs and 12 mins
• There is significant gridlock
throughout the evacuation
period
Trip Time
25 Example of an
“Focused
Evacuation”
Evacuation Route
Planning w/AI
• Ladris EVAC-1, an AI tool, allows
for focused evacuation planning
• Using data-driven points of
safety and a staggered
evacuation sequence, decreases
worst case trip time (time-to-
safety) by 50% to 3 hrs and 19
mins
• Gridlock is reduced significantly
Trip Time
26 Layering Additional
Data
• Ladris CORE product allows for
additional data layers to be
incorporated directly into threat
zone analysis:
○ Homeless Encampments
○ Support Facilities
○ Shelter Locations
○ Real Time Traffic
○ …and more
27 Logistics Section and Finance Section
Logistics Section Coordinator
Supply/Purchasing
Facilities and Utilities
Personnel
Communications
Info Technology
Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services
Finance Section Coordinator
Cost and Time
Risk Management
Procurement
28 Council Discussion: Q&A
29 Council Discussion: Feedback
What insight have you gained from this study session that you want us to keep in mind as we continue working on the City’s emergency management efforts?
What are some emergency management areas where we should challenge ourselves and/or improve?
What strengths do we bring to the emergency management efforts? What do you need to do to be prepared as an individual and as a community leader?
30 City Manager’s Closing Remarks
31 Public Comment
32 Mayor’s Closing
Remarks
Thank You
Point of Contact for Study
Session
Raymond Riordan
Director
City Manager’s Office of
Emergency Management
[email protected]
(408) 794-7055
34