Office of Emergency Services

The OES Coordinator is responsible for formulating, organizing, and implementing the County's emergency or disaster preparedness program, developing and effecting training programs for County staff, and coordinating emergency services provision with local, state, and federal agencies and organizations, as well with the Red Cross. Additionally, the Coordinator develops a public information program and ensures County compliance with relevant regulations. http://www.co.lake.ca.us/generalinformation/grandjury/report0102/ooes.html (1 of 2)4/17/2007 3:08:54 PM County of Lake - 2001/2002 Grand Jury Report - Office of Emergency Services

OES provides five functions in a disaster: management, operations (coordinating what happens in the field) planning (for what needs are and will be), logistics (communications and provisions of shelter, and finance administratin (calculating costs of personel, equipment, and materials).

All counties in the state have had to develop the same general plan, the All-Hazard Emergency Operations Plan, with a similar chain-of-command organizational shelter, in order to be eligible for monies from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The Plan includes sections on Communications, Care and Shelter (Social Services, for example, coordinates with the Red Cross, Public Health, and the acute care facilities, Transportation, and Law Enforcement (police agencies, for example, jointly with Cal-Trans, are in charge of hazardous material spills).

Mitigation projects, such as flood prevention along Cache Creek, must be included in any disaster management plan

Recovery from a disaster may require as long as 2-5 years.

The responsibility for the OES program had just been shifted to the Sheriff's Office