About OES

San Bernardino County OES Mission Statement

Through leadership and guidance, strengthen countywide emergency management capabilities to ensure the protection of life and property before, during and after disasters.

About OES:

The Office of Emergency Services (County OES) is a division of the San Bernardino County Fire Department; OES is responsible for countywide emergency planning, mitigation, response and recovery activities. The OES works with all county departments and 24 cities, and many non-government organizations. In the event of an emergency the OES manages the County’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and coordinates with the county’s disaster response expenses for recovery from state and federal governments. OES is ran by an OES Manager who is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the county’s disaster preparedness and response program and development of the County’s Emergency Operations Plan. One of the primary functions is to ensure that the EOC is in a constant state of readiness.

OES responsibilities:

• Provide timely and accurate situation status and resource status reports to appropriate policymakers, and elected officials and emergency first responders.
• Provide accurate and timely information about significant weather conditions.
• Monitor situation status and resource status in each local jurisdiction within the County.
• Coordinate OES volunteer groups: CERT, Disaster Corps, and Emergency Communications Service.
• Coordinate and train WebEOC use and information dissemination.

Emergency Management:

Emergency Management is a coordinated effort of all levels of government (local, state and federal) working together with business and industry; community based organizations, and volunteers to effectively meet the challenges posed by all types of emergencies and disasters. Within an integrated emergency management framework, these entities assist citizens and their communities to prepare for, respond to, recover from, and eliminate or mitigate the effects of natural, civil, and technological emergencies and disasters. The primary mission of emergency management is to save lives, prevent injuries, and reduce property damage in a community as a result of all types of emergencies and disasters.

NIMS:

National Incident Management System is a system mandated by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5 (HSPD-5) that provides a consistent nationwide approach for Federal, State, local, and tribal governments; the private sector; and nongovernmental organizations to work effectively and efficiently together to prepare for, respond to, and recover from domestic incidents, regardless of cause, size, or complexity. To provide for interoperability and compatibility among Federal, State, local, and tribal capabilities, the NIMS includes a core set of concepts, principles, and terminology. HSPD-5 identifies these as the ICS; multiagency coordination systems; training; identification and management of resources (including systems for classifying types of resources); qualification and certification; and the collection, tracking, and reporting of incident information and incident resources.

• Coordinate emergency cost recovery process.
• Assist in the coordination among County departments.
• Develop and Coordinate Emergency Plans including Emergency Operations Plans, Hazard Mitigation Plans, and Hazard Specific Plans.
• Assist in the facilitation of the rapid restoration of business, government, and other institutions.
• Conduct emergency training and exercises.
• Grants management.

Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS):

As a result of events during the 1991 East Bay Hills Fire, Senator Petris introduced SB 1841 (chaptered as Government Code Section 8607, effective January 1, 1993). This statute directs the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (State OES), in coordination with all interested state agencies with designated response roles in the state emergency plan and interested local emergency management agencies, to establish by regulation the Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS). The framework of SEMS includes the Incident Command System (ICS), multi-agency or inter-agency coordination, Master Mutual Aid Agreement and System, and the Operational Area (OA) concept. SEMS is currently in use in all operational areas throughout California to assist emergency management in the response to multi-agency and multi-jurisdictional emergencies and disasters.

Operational Area (OA):

Under SEMS, the Operational Area (OA) concept means an intermediate level of the State’s emergency services organization which encompasses a county and all political subdivisions located within a county, including special districts. The OA manages and/or coordinates information, resources, and priorities among local governments within the OA, and serves as the coordination and communication link between the local government level and the regional level. County OES serves as the Lead Agency for the San Bernardino County Operational Area (OA). In this role, County OES coordinates emergency management provisions with the 24 Cities/Towns, self-governed Special Districts, volunteer organizations, private industry, State and Federal agencies and others.