April 5, 2005
SUBJECT: CITY OF SUNNYVALE EMERGENCY PLAN REVISED
REPORT IN BRIEF
An Emergency Operations Plan is required for local government in California. The guidelines for the plan come from the United States Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and from the State Office of Emergency Services. The purpose of the emergency plan is to provide a legal framework for the management of emergencies and to provide guidance for the City’s Emergency Management Organization (EMO).
Sunnyvale Municipal Code Section 2.16.080 provides for the development, approval and adoption of the Emergency Plan. The City Manager, as Director of Emergency Services, is responsible for the development of the City’s Emergency Plan. The City Council, in its role as the Disaster Council, approves the Emergency Plan. The Emergency Plan must be formally adopted by Council Resolution.
The current Emergency Plan was adopted by Council in 1996. Staff has revised the plan and is presenting it to Council for approval. The revised Emergency Plan complies with the Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) as required by Government Code 8607(a) and conforms to the requirements of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) as mandated by the Department of Homeland Security.
BACKGROUND
Government Code Sections 8568 and 8607 and Sunnyvale Municipal Code 2.16.080 requires that, in order to obtain any funding of response-related costs, the City develop an Emergency Plan that provides for the effective mobilization of all resources of the City, both public and private, to meet any condition constituting a Local Emergency, State of Emergency or State of War Emergency.
Generally, emergencies/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. In 1996 Council adopted a revised Emergency Plan which incorporated the Standardized Emergency Management System to improve inter-agency coordination after the Oakland Hills fires. Laws passed after that incident required local agencies to use the standardized emergency management system pursuant to Government Code 8607 and coordinate multiple jurisdiction or multiple agency operations in order to be eligible for any response-related funding.
In February 2003, the President issued a Homeland Security Presidential Directive-5, which directed the Secretary of Homeland Security to develop and administer the National Incident Management System. This system provides for a consistent nationwide approach for Federal, State, and local governments to work effectively in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disastrous events regardless of cause, size, or complexity. The revised Emergency Plan reflects these new federal standards in addition to complying with existing California statutes. Revisions to the Plan were additions to Part II to create checklists, and changes to gain compliance with Presidential Directive 5. The remainder of changes were to make the plan more concise and reflect current state guidance.
EXISTING POLICY
The Sunnyvale Municipal Code (2.16.050) directs the City Manager (in the role of Director of Emergency Services) to direct development of the city emergency plan. Municipal Code Section 2.16.080 provides for adoption of the emergency plan by Council.
Government Code 8568 mandates the “State Emergency Plan be in effect in each political subdivision of the state, and the governing body of each political subdivision shall take such action as may be necessary to carry out the provisions thereof.”
DISCUSSION
An Emergency Plan is essential in order to provide direction to staff during significant disaster incidents. The City of Sunnyvale’s Emergency Plan is the official document which describes the responsibilities of the City and the processes to carry out these emergency operations: 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, Emergency Operations Center functions and cleanup and recovery operations.
The City Council, in its role as Disaster Council, provides direction to the City Manager on policy prior to an emergency. This includes directing the preparation of the Emergency Plan and recommending the adoption of the Emergency Plan by resolution of the City Council. Additionally, the Council in its role as Disaster Council also recommends adoption of agreements, ordinances, rules or regulations necessary to implement the Emergency Plan (M.C. 2.16.030).
FISCAL IMPACT
Sunnyvale currently participates in the following funding programs: the State Homeland Security Program, Urban Areas Security Initiative, Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program, Citizen Corps Program, and Emergency Management Performance Grants. The City must revise the current Emergency Plan to comply with State and Federal standards as a prerequisite for the receipt of grant funds from the State or Federal governments. If Sunnyvale does not revise its Emergency Plan, any grant funds the City may be eligible for, will not be available.
Conclusion
The current City of Sunnyvale Emergency Plan does not comply with Federal regulations and must be revised to be eligible for grant funding. The proposed Emergency Plan meets City needs and current State and Federal requirements.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Council Agenda.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Adopt the revised Emergency Plan to replace the existing Emergency Plan.
2. Reject the revised Emergency Plan and retain the existing Emergency Plan.
3. Direct staff to further modify the revised the Emergency Plan and return to Council at a later date.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that Council approve Alternative One.
Reviewed by:
Don Johnson, Director, Department of Public Safety
Prepared by: Cherel Sampson, Emergency Planner
Approved by:
Amy Chan, City Manager
Attachments
1. Resolution
2. City of Sunnyvale Emergency Plan - Part I (.pdf format 6.0MB)
3. City of Sunnyvale Emergency Plan - Part II (.pdf format)
Pages 68-98
Pages 99-138
Pages 139-168
Pages 169-191
Pages 192-end