Resilient Infrastructure​

Summary of objective implementation status (achievements or progress over last year; significant delays or issues, etc.)

On July 23^rd, 2024, the Board of Supervisors provided direction to pursue options for new office space for DEM and to prioritize any advantages in acquiring existing office buildings (sale or lease). The Emergency Coordination Center (ECC) remains in the EIR as part of the CGC project however is not funded at this time.

The Emergency Operations Center (ECC) is currently included as a component of the new County Government Center (CGC) project.

Key milestone update (include relevant metrics, if applicable)

At the January 31, 2023, Board meeting, the proposed ECC was shown at 13,000 square feet with 9,000 square feet dedicated to emergency operations and the balance to function as a conference center in non-emergencies. During emergencies, the ECC could expand to the conference center as required.

The Department of Emergency Management and the County Administrator’s Office have recently agreed that an analysis of the County and other regional stakeholder emergency coordination needs should be undertaken to better understand the manner and intensity of use for a new ECC facility. Since COVID, much of the emergency coordination work has been achieved remotely – a result of instituting a hybrid work environment. These factors suggest a smaller ECC may be the appropriate solution for emergency coordination. Further study is necessary to determine regional needs and scoping for the project.

Coordination and partnership update

The County may collaborate with the City of Santa Rosa to co-locate the City’s EOC with the ECC. Co-location would support increased pre-disaster and disaster response activities as well as realize cost savings in providing both facilities with safety, security, emergency power, and communications infrastructure. As funding and space permit, the ECC may also support direct integration of community-based, education, and private sector partner organizations in both pre-disaster preparedness efforts as well as response activities.

Community, equity and climate update

The current scope for the ECC includes drought and fire-resistant design and landscaping features that will serve as a community demonstration site for wildfire home-hardening design, materials, and technologies.

The current scope for the ECC includes the potential to support partnerships with cities and community stakeholders by ensuring fully accessible in-person facilities and remote access systems. Its proximity to other County services will support increased direct access by residents and build social capital before, during, and after disasters.

Staff will work with leads in the Racial Justice and Social Equity Pillar to address the social equity considerations that could be part of the facility needs assessment and design. While not intended to provide direct services to residents in a disaster, the ECC could include enhanced direct community education and training facilities, expanded engagement communications systems, space and support for community advocacy organizations, and/or increased transparency of County disaster response information and actions.

If this objective received Strategic Plan funding, please provide the project status and amount spent to date for non-position related funding.

The CGC financing plan is currently in progress. Although state and federal funding for EOC facilities is effectively non-existent, DEM is currently working to identify the potential for a federal earmark as a funding source.