2019-20 Continuity Report*

Recommendations 8

• R1
  Additional paramedics should be provided on County-funded engines and added to the next contract. The County Fire Chief (CFC) and Board of Supervisors (BOS) both responded with further analysis required. They confirmed that the San Luis Obispo Fire Department Strategic Plan of 2012 was due for updating. This process would examine EMS procedures followed by SLO County. As of the date of this report no further analysis has been provided, although their responses stated the plan was for this to happen in the Spring of 2020. It should be noted that the BOS has reviewed and updated the Fire Department Strategic Plan. When preparing this report, no additional response from either CFC or the BOS has been received.
• R2
  The County EMS Division should improve more options for airway protection by BLS (basic life support) personnel using equipment that limits risky outcomes. This should be accomplished January 1, 2020. County Public Health, the Board of Supervisors and County Fire Chief responded with further analysis required. No additional response has been received even though it has been reported the County Fire Department has completed its updates to the Fire Protection Master Plan. Submitted October 9, 2020 REPORT 2: FIRE RISK MANAGEMENT - Cities Do It, Why Not the County? Link to full report: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1lu7Isf1f8e-8Kbtcq39wTAbdfE0190og The topic for this Grand Jury report emerged as a result the especially devastating California wildfires in recent years, which have caused great loss of life and property. While there is no absolute way to prevent a serious fire, steps can be taken by the county and by individuals to decrease both the risk of fires starting and their severity. Although San Luis Obispo County has created ordinances and guidelines to assist property owners to minimize risks of fire damage, there is no weed abatement ordinance for the county beyond what is required by state law. In response to these concerns the Grand Jury identified five findings and eight recommendations related to weed abatement, fuel reduction and fire prevention in San Luis Obispo County and requested responses from eight different entities as seen in the following charts.
• R3
  The County should develop a weed abatement ordinance that is consistent with the cities' regulations. The BOS has indicated that this recommendation requires further analysis. As indicated in Recommendation 2, the BOS adopted Ordinance No.3386 to provide for the abatement of fire hazardous weeds and rubbish in County Service Area 10. In addition to this, a countywide ordinance has been considered and is being studied further.
• R4
  The County and all city fire jurisdictions should offer a chipping program similar to Atascadero. Funds may be available through the Fire Safe Program. A plan for this should be accomplished by the end of the 2019-20 fiscal year. The BOS has adopted the response of the County Fire Chief for this recommendation and determined that it requires further analysis. The vast area covered by County Fire, the costs of such a program, the availability of staff to conduct the work, and the need to purchase and maintain several chippers and vehicles must be evaluated along with a funding source(s). Analysis was to be completed by Submitted October 9, 2020 November 30, 2019. As of this date the Grand Jury has not received a follow up response from the BOS or County Fire. The San Luis Obispo City Fire Department has indicated that this recommendation requires further analysis as an option to community fuel reduction projects as part of the recently completed San Luis Obispo City Community Wildlife Protection Plan (CWPP). The Five Cities Fire Authority has indicated that this recommendation requires further analysis. They have requested special funding that was not available and the cost of this program would need to be weighed against other existing community priorities. The City of Morro Bay disagreed with this recommendation. As in all communities in San Luis Obispo County, Morro Bay's weed abatement program and the green waste program through Morro Bay Garbage Service has proven to be sufficient for the lighter vegetation fuel load removal in that city. The City of Paso Robles disagreed with this recommendation. In lieu of a chipping program, Paso Robles Fire and Emergency Services has initiated two significant hazardous fuel reduction projects, the Fern Canyon Fuel Break and the Salinas Riverbed Hazardous Fuel Reduction Project.
• R5
  The County should work with the cities in a concerted effort to educate the public on detailed and coordinated evacuation plans. Various ways to disseminate this information may include all types of County or city mail communications. Public Service Announcements, websites, and other forms of communication are also informative. The BOS adopted the response of the County Office of Emergency Services who has implemented this recommendation. Both agencies are currently working with all operational area partners in disseminating emergency planning and preparedness information.
• R6
  Plans should be implemented to incorporate the PG&E siren warning system for any and all emergencies where evacuation is warranted. The BOS has adopted the response of the County Office of Emergency Services and the recommendation has been implemented. The San Luis Obispo County Early Warning System (EWS) sirens are incorporated into each of the County's emergency response plans where protective actions may be directed. This includes nuclear power, tsunami, dam/levee, hazardous material, and fire response plans. Submitted October 9, 2020
• R7
  Cities should investigate installing additional warning systems where there are no existing sirens. A draft plan should be finalized by the end of the fiscal year 2019- 20. The BOS has adopted the response of the County Office of Emergency Services and the recommendation has been implemented. The County Office of Emergency Services has indicated that this recommendation has been partially implemented for five of the seven cities within the county of San Luis Obispo. The cities of Atascadero and Paso Robles are not in the Emergency Planning Zone and these cities would need to make the decision to purchase, install and maintain an EWS siren network for their respective jurisdictions. The City of Paso Robles disagreed with this recommendation. Their primary emergency alert system is through the SLO County Sheriff's Office Reverse 911 system. Morro Bay is currently in Protection Action Zone-9 and is covered by the PG&E siren system, which is described in the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant annex in both Morro Bay's and San Luis Obispo County Emergency Management Plan. The San Luis Obispo City Fire Department disagreed with this recommendation. The City has clear policy and a variety of mechanisms to communicate emergency information. The Five Cities Fire Authority have implemented this recommendation and the communities served are all located in Plan Protection Action Zone 10 related to Diablo Canyon Power Plant emergency planning and are served by the siren network.
• R8
  The Sheriff's Office should provide Reverse 911 registration information to county and city agencies for dissemination via bills or other routine mail communication. This information should include a procedure for registering by phone. The Board of Supervisors has adopted the response of the County Sheriff's Office and the recommendation will require further analysis. Any cost to mail such a notification is not budgeted in the current fiscal year and would require funding. The Sheriff's Office will examine the cost and feasibility of a mailer. Submitted October 9, 2020 REPORT 3: SCHOOL DEVELOPER FEES REVISITED: Differing Interpretations? Link to full report: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1JDu8iS_fJ76kAZBQGWrY81v5M5FnsT3N The 2018/19 San Luis Obispo County Grand Jury examined school developer fees based on a complaint filed by a county citizen. Their investigation looked specifically at how developers are notified of their right to protest fees, how the funds from these fees are maintained and accounted for, how the public can inform themselves of utilization of these fees, and who provides oversight for school developer fees. State Law requires school developer fees to be maintained in separate accounts and are used exclusively for expansion and/or improvement of school facilities necessary to meet the demand resulting from new construction or expansion. The law also requires that reports are made available to the public in an easily accessible manner with a clear accounting of how funds are expended. The result of their investigation showed permissive and expansive interpretations of these laws within SLO County. The County Superintendent of Education takes no role to determine if developer fees have been used appropriately as part of their audits of school districts. Four of the ten county school districts along with the County Office of Education were selected to respond to some of the ten findings and six recommendations in the report.