annual report
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office of emergency services
In 2013-14 OES answered the call to activate the Operational
Area Emergency Operations Center (EOC) five times, for a total
of 16 response days, all but one EOC activation was for a fire
incident. In the fall of 2013, a pair of 200+ acre vegetation
fires caused evacuations in the community of Wrightwood and
in unincorporated communities in the Cajon Pass. In both cases
the OES Duty Officer was deployed to the Incident Command Post
as the OES Field Liaison Officer and the OA EOC was activated
to Level I to support the incident. The deployment of an OES
Field Liaison Officer has been an invaluable opportunity for the
Duty Officers to enhance the coordination of information between
the ICP and the EOC during significant incidents.
In February of 2014, the SBCOA EOC was activated to Level I
to support the Flood Area Safety Taskforce (FAST) preparations
for the extreme flood potential forecast by National Weather
Service. The EOC remained activated as several waves of heavy
precipitation swept the County causing multiple road closures,
power outages and interrupted phone services. During the 4
day activation, the EOC coordinated the Lytle Creek CERT activation to a Level 1 “Alert” and monitored the Rim Communities
COAD (Community Organizations Active in Disaster) activation to
assist a Running Springs resident relocate evacuated pets.
The Rim Communities COAD is one of seven COAD groups
countywide that includes non-profit and community-based
organizations who may support response and recovery efforts
after a disaster. The seven COADs are organized under the
San Bernardino County Voluntary Organizations Active in
Disaster (VOAD) in partnership with County OES.
In April 2014, there were two EOC activations in quick
succession. The SBCOA EOC activated in support of the
Etiwanda Fire and the City of Rancho Cucamonga. During
the first day of the incident the EOC staffed a 24-hour A/B
shift and OES Field Liaisons were deployed to the ICP and
to the Rancho Cucamonga EOC. Before the EOC could ramp
down from the Etiwanda Fire, the EOC stood up support
for the City of Hesperia. The Ranchero Incident thrust San
Bernardino County into the National spotlight and thrust the
City of Hesperia into a transportation nightmare as welding
sparks set the Ranchero Overpass on fire and it collapsed
during primetime, causing the temporary full closure of
Interstate 15 and forcing tens of thousands of commuters
to seek alternate routes.
For the first time, OES entered into a 3-year contract with the Cities of
San Bernardino and Fontana for emergency management services.