To: Board of Supervisors, County of Sonoma, The Board Of Directors Of The Sonoma County Water Agency, The Board Of Commissioners Of The Community Development Commission, And The Board Of Directors Of The Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation And Open Space District
Department or Agency Name(s): Emergency Management
Staff Name and Phone Number: Chris Godley / 565-1152
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): All Districts
Title:
Title
County of Sonoma Continuity of Operations Plan
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Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Receive and adopt the County of Sonoma Continuity of Operations Plan
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Executive Summary:
The Department of Emergency Management (DEM) and County Departments have the County’s first comprehensive coordinated government Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP). The COOP Base Plan and 56 Department/Division-specific Playbooks provide the ability for the County to maintain critical services in the event of utility or information systems disruption, labor resource conflict, major emergency, or disaster.
Discussion:
Sonoma County’s principal functions include seven major service areas: general government, public protection, public ways and facilities, health and sanitation, public assistance, education, and recreation and cultural services. The State and Federal governments mandate certain minimum levels of services in the public protection, public assistance, and health areas. Most of the services performed by the County are provided for all residents, regardless of whether those residents live in cities or unincorporated areas of the County, and every County resident directly or indirectly benefits from these services. To accomplish this mission, County Departments and Divisions must ensure their operations are performed efficiently with minimal disruption, especially during an emergency.
The COOP plan applies to the functions, operations, and resources necessary to ensure the continuation of the County’s essential functions in the event its normal operations, systems, or facilities are disrupted or threatened with disruption. The COOP plan addresses the full spectrum of potential threats, crises, and natural and human-caused emergencies. This plan applies to all County personnel at County operated facilities. Sonoma County Departments/Divisions have identified the most time critical and essential functions that cannot be left undone for 30 days without risking failure of mission or loss of trust, respect, and funding.
The COOP Base Plan and 56 Department/Division Playbooks provide planning and program guidance to ensure the County can conduct its essential missions and functions. While the severity and consequences of an emergency cannot be predicted, effective contingency planning can minimize the impact on the County’s missions, personnel, and facilities.
DEM developed a comprehensive COOP planning approach and template and a contractor was utilized to guide the planning process and provide technical expertise. County departments identified lead staff for their divisions and/or programs to coordinate their respective efforts in the COOP planning project and to continue to support the ongoing COOP program. County departments identified their critical missions and the resources needed to sustain or restore essential functions. A COOP planning project kickoff meeting was conducted on October 26, 2018 with most departments participating and the plan was completed in March 2019.
This document is designated as “Confidential: For Official Use Only.” Portions of the Plan contain information that may raise operational security, personal privacy, or other concerns, and those portions may be exempt from mandatory disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (See 5 United States Code §552 and 41 Code of Federal Regulations Part 105-60) or the California Public Records Act California (Government Code Sections 6250 et seq.). The disclosure of information in this plan could compromise the security of essential equipment, services, and systems of the County or otherwise impair its ability to carry out essential functions. Distribution of the COOP plan in whole or part is limited to those personnel who need to know the information to successfully implement the plan. Each Board Member and their District Director has received a copy of the confidential COOP Base plan and a representative Department Playbook.
Continuity planning is an effort to ensure the capability exists to continue essential agency functions across a wide range of potential emergencies. The objectives of the COOP plan include:
1. Ensure essential functions can be performed, if applicable, under all conditions.
2. Reduce the loss of life and minimize property damage and loss.
3. Execute a successful order of succession with accompanying authorities in the event a Department/Division’s leadership is unable, unavailable, or incapable of assuming and performing their authorities and responsibilities of office.
4. Reduce or mitigate disruptions to operations.
5. Ensure the County has facilities where it can continue to perform its essential functions, as appropriate, during a continuity event.
6. Protect essential facilities, equipment, records, and other assets in the event of a disruption.
7. Achieve the County’s timely and orderly recovery and reconstitution from an emergency.
8. Ensure and validate continuity readiness through a dynamic and integrated continuity test, training, and exercise (TT&E) program and operational capability.
The COOP Base Plan provides overarching guidance and coordination across County departments including a concept of operations, orders of succession, integration with the Emergency Operations Center, communications, personnel accountability, a training program, and a list of the County’s most critical functions by department.
Each department or division playbook gives specific instructions to staff regarding how to implement COOP activities, including a review of the critical tasks for that department or division as well as what resources may be required, potential alternate facilities, methods for communicating with stakeholders, lines of succession for key positions, delegations of authority, and response action checklists.
Going forward, DEM will manage the County’s COOP program to include staff training, exercises and plan updates.
Prior Board Actions:
6/11/18: The Board reviewed and accepted the After-Action Report for the County’s Emergency Operations Center function during the October 2017 Wildfires event.
8/14/18: The Board directed County departments to develop utilize a standardized planning approach and submit a work plan/timeline for completing COOP updates.
12/11/18: The Board approved a Third Amendment to Agreement for Professional Services with Tetra Tech, Inc. to complete work on emergency planning efforts including the Continuity of Operations Plan with no increase in cost.
Fiscal Summary
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FY20-21 Projected |
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
None.
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
None.
Attachments:
1) Resolution
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None.