STAFF REPORT - CITY COUNCIL/SUCCESSOR AGENCY/PUBLIC FINANCE AUTHORITY

The Fire Chief and City Manager recommend that Council approve the adoption of Resolution No. 4062, Emergency Operations Plan- Updated 2022.

An Emergency Operations Plan is required for local government in California. The guidelines are derived from the United States Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and modified by the State Office of Emergency Services. The emergency plan provides a broad legal framework for management of emergencies. Staff has revised the current emergency plan, which was adopted by Council in 1996 and updated in 2007. The revised plan complies with the Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) and conforms to the requirements of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) as mandated by FEMA.

Coalinga Municipal Code Section 4-2.07 provides for the development, approval, and adoption of the emergency plan. The Coalinga Disaster Council is responsible for the development of the City’s emergency plan. The City Council decides if the emergency plan should be approved. If approved, the emergency plan must be formally adopted by Council resolution.

In March of 2021 the Fire Chief began working with Jennings Consulting, an emergency management firm to update the City’s Emergency Operations Plan. The most notable changes include reformatting the Plan to comply with the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Comprehensive Preparedness Guide (CPG) 101, Developing and Maintaining Emergency Operations Plans, and the incorporation of Emergency Support Functions (ESF).

Generally, emergencies and disasters are managed at the local level. However, assistance is often needed from other jurisdictions and agencies. To successfully manage a large-scale emergency, coordination among the emergency responders is essential. Predicated on this principle, in 1996, and then again in 2007, City Council adopted an emergency plan, which incorporated the Standardized Emergency Management System (“SEMS”). The SEMS regulations called for improved coordination of local and state emergency response efforts in California.  In February 2003, the President issued Homeland Security Presidential Directive-5, which directed the Secretary of Homeland Security to develop and administer the National Incident Management System (“NIMS”). This system provides for a consistent nationwide approach for Federal, State, and local governments to effectively and efficiently collaborate to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disastrous events, regardless of cause, size, or complexity. The City’s emergency plan was also revised to reflect these federal standards.

The City of Coalinga’s Emergency Operations Plan is the official foundational document for emergency preparedness. It describes in broad terms key issues including: the responsibilities of the City; the processes used during emergency operations and procedures for rendering or requesting mutual aid; the direction and control within the agency; continuity of government; specific emergency authorities that staff may assume; internal emergency notifications; Emergency Management Organization (EMO) staffing; reporting mechanisms for the EOC; and cleanup and recovery operations.

The updated EOP reflects current best management practices and format, including keeping the basic plan as concise as possible, and complies with the most recent EOP and emergency preparedness guidance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the State of California Office of Emergency Services.

1.    Do not adopt the resolution for the City of Coalinga Emergency Operations Plan - Updated 2022. Not Recommended

a.    If Council does not adopt the resolution of the City of Coalinga Emergency Operations Plan - Updated 2022 that conforms to SEMS/NIMS guidelines and retains the old Emergency Operations Plan, then due to the age of the existing Emergency Operating Plan the City’s eligibility for emergency-related grant funding may be jeopardized.