To: Board of Supervisors, County of Sonoma
Department or Agency Name(s): Emergency Management
Staff Name and Phone Number: Chris Godley / 565-1152
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Sonoma County Earthquake Annex
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Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Receive and approve a new Earthquake Annex to the County’s Emergency Operations Plan
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Executive Summary:
In March 2022, the Board of Supervisors adopted the County’s Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) that facilitates coordination between County departments and Operational Area partners including cities, special districts, community based organizations, and the private sector in the event of a major emergency incident or disaster. The EOP outlines the specific actions that the County and the Operational Area will carry out when an emergency exceeds or has the potential to exceed the capacity of a single agency or jurisdiction to respond as well as outlining an organizational framework and addressing steps needed to safeguard the whole community.
Annexes to the EOP have been developed that focus on response efforts for specific hazards (ex. Russian River Flooding) or specific functions (ex. Community Alert & Warning). While the EOP and Annexes directly instruct County departments and efforts, they do not mandate the response activities of incorporated cities or special districts as they retain their own responsibilities and authorities. The EOP and Annexes are reviewed by the staff of partner cities and special districts but are not usually formally adopted by their governing boards.
The Department of Emergency Management led development of an Earthquake Annex to the EOP which outlines the policies, procedures, and staff roles specific to the response to an earthquake either directly in or affecting the Sonoma County Operational Area. It focuses on the first phases of response and the transition into short-term recovery.
Response guidance is broken down into priorities for the first 4 hours, first 24 hours, first 72 hours, and sustained operations.
Short-Term Recovery guidance includes Utility Restoration, Debris Removal, Interim Housing, and Disaster Assistance Programs including potential use of Local Assistance Centers (LACs).
By approving this Annex, the Board establishes clear and consistent policies and provides County staff with direction on how care and shelter should be provided to members of the community in a major emergency or disaster.
The Annex does not significantly address equity issues as there few considerations in this area that would be unique to an earthquake. The EOP provides greater direction on process and procedure for integrating equity objectives, considerations, tools, and resources into disaster response efforts.
Discussion:
Background
Since 2017, Sonoma County has experienced mostly large-scale wildfire and flood events, threats which are acute, seasonal, and predictable. Earthquakes remain a threat year-round, and when they strike are true no-notice events. The 4.4 magnitude earthquake which impacted Santa Rosa in September of 2022 was a sharp reminder of the persistent threat waiting below our community.
There are four major fault lines running through Sonoma County: The San Andreas, Healdsburg, Mayacamas and, most dangerous to our visitors and residents, the Rodger’s Creek Fault. The United States Geological Survey reports a 72% probability of an earthquake measuring at least magnitude 6.7 striking the Bay Area in the next 30 years. During that same timeframe there is a 33% chance for a similar earthquake to occur specifically on the combined Rodger’s Creek-Hayward Fault system.
For much of its length, the Rodger’s Creek fault runs parallel to Sonoma County’s urbanized highway 101 corridor. A major earthquake here would be devastating and cause many cascading effects including building and wildland fires, hazardous material releases, dam failures, and landslides.
To be prepared for the next earthquake wherever, whenever, and at whatever scale it comes, the Department of Emergency Management worked with key County and Operational Area partner agencies to develop an annex to the EOP which provides specific guidance to County emergency response operations, while remaining broad enough to give emergency leadership room to respond with flexibility and creativity to the often unpredictable impacts of an earthquake.
Response
The annex centers response as the first priority of all County departments and agencies immediately after an earthquake. All available County Disaster Service Workers will be directed to achieve the following objectives:
1. Save lives
2. Reduce threats to lives and property
3. Provide care and shelter
4. Restore critical operations and facilities
5. Assess damage
6. Expedite service restoration
7. Keep the public informed
The annex recognizes that the early hours after an earthquake are critical and organizes the response into several, early phases when community needs will be most urgent and specific government actions must be taken. Below is a summary of the priorities during each response phase:
First 4 Hours - For the first four hours of response, the annex centers the community’s immediate life and safety needs. This includes alert and warning, fire suppression, maintaining law and order, emergency medical services, establishing casualty collection points, and dispatching hazardous material response.
First 12 Hours - By the end of the first twelve hours, efforts will expand to securing sufficient resources for a sustained response and basic mass care, shelter, and information services to the community and support for incorporated cities.
First 24 Hours - Twenty-four hours after an earthquake, the Operational Area will have implemented a stabilized response system, including continuity of operations for County services.
First 48 Hours - Two days after the initial quake, the Operational Area will pivot to expanding the support and services it provides to the community - especially as additional resources arrive from out of area.
First 72 Hours - Three days after the earthquake, the Operational Area will begin transition from immediate response efforts to sustained operations and complete their initial damage assessment.
Sustained Operations - After the first 72 hours, focus will shift to early recovery efforts and widespread damage inspections of homes, businesses, and infrastructure.
Short Term Recovery
The immediate response to a major earthquake will focus on saving lives, providing resources to sustain County residents, and stabilizing the situation. Once this is achieved the County will initiate short term recovery efforts. As our County has seen in past emergencies, the sooner recovery begins, the better the outcomes for our residents.
That said, given the potential level of damage from a major earthquake to housing, business, and infrastructure, full recovery may take years. This annex focuses on the most immediate pressing short-term recovery needs and provides some strategies for achieving these. The annex identifies four focus areas for earthquake short-term recovery:
1. Utility Restoration - Focused on restoring critical emergency response facilities, broken water transmission and distribution pipes, and electrical power.
2. Debris Removal - To resume services and business operations, and begin rebuilding our community.
3. Interim Housing - Transitioning residents from short-term shelters to interim, and eventually long-term housing arrangements.
4. Disaster assistance programs - Getting assistance into the hands of residents as soon as possible, including immediate financial assistance, support services, and crisis counseling, with support from community-based organizations.
Roles and Responsibilities
The earthquake annex expands on existing emergency roles for each department within the context of an earthquake. Some notable additions to and clarifications on roles:
1. Human Resources will work to account for all county staff in the immediate aftermath of an earthquake
2. Sonoma County Public Infrastructure is tasked with conducting earthquake damage surveys for County roadways, bridges, and the airport as well as managing debris clearance and removal for County facilities and in unincorporated areas.
3. Permit Sonoma will consider simplifying and streamlining permitting and providing such additional community support as occupancy waivers for temporary housing
By approving this Annex, the Board will establish clear protocols for immediate response to, and early recovery from a major earthquake. This annex provides direction and guidance to County Departments and partner agencies including cities, special districts, and community based organizations which is clear and flexible, and ensures emergency response efforts focus on the basic needs of the community in a timely and prioritized manner.
In March 2022, the Board of Supervisors adopted the County’s Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) that facilitates coordination between County departments and Operational Area partners including cities, special districts, community based organizations, and the private sector in the event of a major emergency incident or disaster. The EOP outlines the specific actions that the County and the Operational Area will carry out when an emergency exceeds or has the potential to exceed the capacity of a single agency or jurisdiction to respond as well as outlining an organizational framework and addressing steps needed to safeguard the whole community.
Annexes to the EOP have been developed that focus on response efforts for specific hazards (ex. Russian River Flooding) or specific functions (ex. Community Alert & Warning). These Annexes build on the broad concepts and authorities outlined in the EOP by providing additional direction and guidance for that specific hazard or response function - this may include procedures, tools, resources unique to a particular disaster - such as activities that are a triggered as the Russian River rises to specific levels. Additionally, the annexes may touch on response functions addressed in other plans and provide additional detail specific to that hazard. For example, while care & shelter functions are addressed in a separate annex, this Earthquake Annex addresses a few care & shelter functions which may be affected by or may need to be adjusted to address the unique challenges posed by a major earthquake. Similarly, this Earthquake Annex addresses some recovery functions that will be more fully developed in the County’s Long-Term Disaster Recovery Framework set for completion in 2023 and the ARPA-funded community-based United Resiliency Project which is just underway and will complete work in 2024.
While the EOP and Annexes directly instruct County departments and efforts, they do not mandate the response activities of incorporated cities or special districts as they retain their own responsibilities and authorities. The EOP and Annexes are reviewed by the staff of partner cities and special districts but are not usually formally adopted by their governing boards as they develop and adopt their own planning products.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Prior Board Actions:
May 10, 2022: Adoption of the Care & Shelter Annex to the Sonoma County Operational Area Emergency Operations Plan.
March 22, 2022: Adoption of the 2022 Sonoma County Operational Area Emergency Operations Plan.
August 17, 2021: Adoption of the Evacuation Annex to the Sonoma County Operational Area Emergency Operations Plan.
July 20, 2021: Adoption of the Public Safety Power Shutoff Annex to the Sonoma County Operational Area Emergency Operations Plan.
April 13, 2021: Adoption of the Alert & Warning Annex to the Sonoma County Operational Area Emergency Operations Plan.
March 10, 2020: Adoption of the Pandemic Annex to the Sonoma County Operational Area Emergency Operations Plan.
Fiscal Summary
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
None.
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
None.
Attachments:
1. Sonoma County Operational Area Earthquake Annex
2. Anexo del Plan de Operaciones de Emergencia del Área Operativa del Condado de Sonoma: Terremotos
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None.