Alameda County Catastrophic Earthquake Mass Care and Shelter Plan
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Alameda County
Catastrophic Earthquake
Mass Care and Shelter Plan
March, 2010
Acknowledgment
“This project was supported by the CA Emergency Management Agency under Regional Catastrophic Grant
Program # FY07/08 RCPGP #2008‐CP‐T8‐0018, OES ID 075‐95017, awarded by the US Dept. of Homeland Security.”
FY 07/08 RCPGP # 2008‐CP‐T8‐0018
Disclaimer
This document was prepared under a grant from FEMA’s Grant Programs Directorate, U.S. Department of
Homeland Security. Points of view or opinions expressed in this document are those of the authors and do not
necessarily represent the official position or policies of FEMA’s Grant Programs Directorate or the U.S. Department
of Homeland Security.
Record of Changes Change No. Copy No. Date Entered Posted By
Forward
The vulnerability of the San Francisco Bay Area to earthquakes is well known. According to the
2008 Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast,1 the probability of a magnitude 7.6 or
greater earthquake in the Bay Area within the next 30 years is 63 percent. An earthquake of this
magnitude will result in widespread and catastrophic damage.
A catastrophic earthquake in the Bay Area will immediately overwhelm local, regional and State
emergency response capabilities. The region will need massive, rapid support from the Federal
Government, other local governments in California, other states, and nonprofit and private-sector
organizations. The effectiveness of the region’s response will affect the long-term recovery of
the region’s communities and economy. An effective response will only be possible if
comprehensive planning has taken place.
The Federal Government is providing funding under the Regional Catastrophic Planning Grant
Program (RCPGP) to selected metropolitan areas throughout the United States to plan for
catastrophic events. The San Francisco Bay Area is one of the metropolitan areas. The
Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is
administering the program. The Bay Area Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) Program is
implementing the RCPGP for 12 counties and two cities2 in the Bay Area. For fiscal year
2007/2008, the UASI Program has used RCPGP funding to prepare plans in five functional
areas: Debris Removal, Mass Care and Sheltering, Mass Fatality, Mass Transportation/
Evacuation, and Volunteer Management.
This document, the Alameda County Catastrophic Earthquake Mass Care and Shelter Plan
(Plan), has been prepared under the RCPGP. Mass Care and Shelter is a critical component of the
response to an earthquake. A magnitude 7.9 earthquake on the San Andreas Fault will result in
an estimated 329,900 people in the 12-county Bay Area region who will need shelter.
This Plan is a supporting component to the Alameda County Emergency Operations Plan and is
an annex to the Alameda County Operational Area Mass Care and Shelter Plan, the platform
upon which the Plan was constructed. The Plan is consistent with:
Applicable local and State plans and requirements
The 2008 Regional Emergency Coordination Plan (RECP), including the Regional
Catastrophic Earthquake Mass Care and Sheltering Plan developed under the RCPGP as
an incident-specific subsidiary plan to the RECP
The 2008 San Francisco Bay Area Catastrophic Earthquake Readiness Response Concept
of Operations Plan, prepared by FEMA.
1 Edward H. Field, et al., The Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast,
Version 2.0 (UCERF 2), (USGS Open File Report 2007-1437, 2008). Available at
http://pubs.usgs.gov/ of/2007/1437/.
2 Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, Napa, San Benito, San Francisco, San,
Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma, the City of Oakland, and the City of San
Jose.Participation and Support The Alameda County Catastrophic Earthquake Mass Care and Shelter Plan was developed with the participation and support of the following: Alameda County Sheriff’s Office – Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Services staff Alameda County Sheriff’s Office – Support Services Unit City of Berkeley City of Dublin City of Livermore City of Pleasanton
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION 1 PURPOSE ................................................................................................1
SECTION 2 AUTHORITIES AND REFERENCE......................................................2
2.1 OBJECTIVES ..............................................................................3
2.2 PLAN ASSUMPTIONS ..............................................................7
SECTION 3 CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS .............................................................11
3.1 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES .........................................12
3.1.1. COUNTY SOCIAL SERVICES AGENCY .................. 12
3.1.2 SCHOOL DISTRICTS ..................................................13
3.1.3 AMERICAN RED CROSS............................................13
3.1.4 ALAMEDA COUNTY HEALTH CARE SERVICES
AGENCY .......................................................................13
3.1.5 COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS (CBOs) .14
3.1.6 EDEN INFORMATION AND REFERRAL
SERVICES (2-1-1) ........................................................ 14
3.1.7 VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS ACTIVE IN
DISASTER (VOAD) .....................................................14
3.1.8 THE PRIVATE SECTOR..............................................15
3.2 NOTIFICATION AND ACTIVATION OF THE COUNTY
EOC CARE & SHELTER BRANCH........................................15
3.3 INFORMATION........................................................................16
3.3.1 SHELTER ACTIVITY ..................................................17
3.3.2 INFRASTRUCTURE ....................................................17
3.4 SELECTING SHELTERING SITES ........................................17
3.5 TYPES OF SHELTER FACILITIES ........................................19
3.5.1 ARC SHELTERS...........................................................19
3.5.1.1 PUBLIC SCHOOL BUILDINGS ................20
3.5.1.2 GOVERNMENT-OWNED FACILITIES ...20
3.5.1.3 FACILITIES OWNED BY FAITH-BASED
ORGANIZATIONS .....................................20
3.5.2 SPONTANEOUS SHELTERS ......................................21TABLE OF CONTENTS
CONTINUED PAGE TWO
3.5.3 SHELTER RESOURCES ..............................................21
3.5.4 SHELTER STAFFING ..................................................21
3.5.5 MEDICAL CARE IN SHELTER ..................................22
3.5.6 TRANSPORTATION OF PEOPLE ..............................23
3.5.7 FOOD SERVICES .........................................................23
3.5.8 ANIMAL CARE ............................................................23
TABLES
1. RECOMMENDED NUMBER OF SHELTER WORKERS NEEDED ACCORDING
TO SHELTER SIZE .............................................................................................. 22
FIGURES
1. THE STRUCTURE OF THE OPERATIONAL AREA EMERGENCY OPERATIONS
CENTER, BASED ON THE INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM ........................11
APPENDICES
1 ARC SHELTER FACILITY SURVEY ................................................................ 25
2 CARE AND SHELTER BRANCH CHECKLIST ............................................... 31
3 SHELTER ACTIVITY........................................................................................... 32
4 ESTIMATED QUANTITIES OF RESOURCES TO SUPPORT SHELTER
RESIDENTS ......................................................................................................... 35
5 CATASTROPHIC EARTHQUAKE SCENARIO
SAN ANDREAS FAULT ............................................................................... 36
6 CATASTROPHIC EARTHQUAKE SCENARIO
HAYWARD FAULT ....................................................................................... 48Section 1 Purpose The purpose of the Alameda County Catastrophic Earthquake Care and Shelter Plan (Plan) is to describe the responsibilities and actions of organizations and agencies required for the coordination of a mass care and shelter response in the County. The Operational Area includes the cities and unincorporated jurisdictions of the County. This Plan provides an overview of objectives, assumptions, operational concepts, identifies relevant components of the emergency management organization within the Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) and Incident Command System (ICS), and identifies the public and private organizations responsible for providing mass care, shelter, and medical and public health services. More specifically, the Plan also provides direction on: staging, command, control and deployment of State and Federal resources; and coordination of local, regional, State, Federal, private-sector, and non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) that have a role in mass care and sheltering operations. This Plan is intended to be used in conjunction with the Alameda County Emergency Operations Plan (2007) and the all-hazards base provided by in Alameda County Operational Area Mass Care and Shelter Plan. The Plan does not address normal day-to-day emergencies or the well- established and routine procedures used in coping with such emergencies. Instead, the operational concepts reflected in this Plan focus on response to a potential large-scale, catastrophic earthquake incident which would generate unique and extreme situations and circumstances requiring unusual emergency coordination and responses. This Plan is a scenario-driven, function-specific operations plan for Alameda County and describes mass care and sheltering responses and operations in the aftermath of a catastrophic earthquake on the San Andreas Fault and, by association and similarity, a catastrophic earthquake on the Hayward Fault. Attached are the two separate catastrophic earthquake scenarios created to support development of four regional plans under the Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program (RCPGP) and this Plan. The scenarios are: 1) a re-occurrence of the 1906 San Andreas Fault Earthquake, and 2) an earthquake on the Hayward Fault. Descriptions, data and assumptions created to develop the two scenarios provide extreme and realistic contextual examples of the type of events which this plan, and incorporated reliance on the SEMS and subordinate ICS and Mutual Aid Systems, has been created to address. This information is attached in Appendix 5 – the Catastrophic Earthquake Scenario on the San Andreas Fault, and Appendix 6 - the Catastrophic Earthquake Scenario on the Hayward Fault. The Plan is a preparedness document designed to be read, understood and exercised prior to an emergency. It will be distributed to key employees of the County Social Services Agency, Alameda County Catastrophic Earthquake Mass Care and Shelter Page 1 of 56
Sheriff’s Department and other agencies, to guide the actions of those with response roles and
responsibilities in the Alameda County OA Emergency Operations Center (EOC). Companion
documents to this Plan are, as indicated, the existing Operational Area Care and Shelter Plan and
the Local Government Template for Care and Shelter, which provides local government with a
guide to coordinate care and shelter services in a city EOC.
The Plan is a document that will continually evolve. The Plan was created in 2009/2010.
Recommendations for improvement are solicited and will be carefully considered for revision.
Section 2
Authorities and References
Emergency response, like all governmental action, is based on legal authority. The Alameda
County Plan is a support document to the overall Alameda OA Emergency Plan and companion
document to the base County OA Care and Shelter Plan, and follows State and Federal
guidelines for coordinating emergency response.
In accordance with the National Incident Management System (December 2008), this Care and
Shelter Plan addresses the following components:
Preparedness. The Plan will be included in the training of the Social Service Agency and
Sheriff’s Department’s emergency management personnel. Exercises will be based on
concepts in this plan.
Communication. The Plan emphasizes the exchange of information about response
activities between the organizations and management systems that support the provision
of shelter services in the Operational Area
Resource Management. To support this responsibility of the Operational Area,
Emergency Operations Center, Logistics Section, the Plan emphasizes the coordination of
information needed for efficient management of shelter facilities and shelter support.
Command and Management. The Plan explains the incident organization structures used
to coordinate shelter services in the Operational Area.
Ongoing Maintenance. The Plan is intended to be an evolving document, supported by
lessons learned from after-action reports that follow exercises and response operations.
The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act authorizes federal, state,
and local government to provide emergency relief and support to people impacted by disaster.
According to California Health and Safety Code Section 34070 – 34072, local government must
provide or contract with recognized community organizations to make emergency or temporary
shelter available for people made homeless by a natural disaster or other emergency.
California’s State Emergency Plan (2009) puts local government at the first level of response for
meeting the disaster needs of people in its jurisdiction. People seeking care and shelter
immediately after an incident will look first to local government for assistance.
The California Emergency Services Act (Chapter 7 of Division 1 of Title 2 of the Government
Code) provides the basic authorities for conducting emergency operations following a
Alameda County Catastrophic Earthquake Mass Care and Shelter Page 2 of 56proclamation of Local Emergency, State of Emergency, or State of War Emergency by the
Governor and/or appropriate local authorities, consistent with the provisions of the Act.
Mutual aid may be requested and provided prior to, or after a declared emergency under the
Master Mutual Aid Agreement. The Alameda County Emergency Operations Plan is published in
accordance with the Emergency Services Act and provides overall county-wide authorities and
responsibilities, and describes the functions and operations of government at all levels during
extraordinary emergencies, including wartime
The Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) Regulations (Chapter 1 of Division 2
of Title 19 of the California Code of Regulations) establishes the management organization to
provide an effective response to multi-agency and multi-jurisdictional emergencies in California
SEMS incorporates the use of the Incident Command System, the Master Mutual Aid Agreement
and existing mutual aid systems, the Operational Area concept, and multi-agency or inter-agency
coordination.
The California Civil and Government Code (CGC) contains several references to liability release
(Good Samaritan Act) for those providing emergency services including:
CGC, Title 1, Division 4, Chapter 8, Sections 3100, 3101, and 3102, Declaration: Public
Employees as Disaster Service Workers.
The Plan is intended to coordinate with the concept of operations and plans described in the
Regional Catastrophic Earthquake Mass Care and Shelter Plan which has been developed by
the Bay Area Urban Area Security Initiative.
2.1 Objectives
The Care and Shelter Plan is guided by the following objectives:
Provide effective coordination within the Operational Area of resources in support local
governments and the unincorporated areas during incidents that require care and shelter
operations.
Project the potential catastrophic impacts of and response to the earthquake
Define the planning assumptions
Identify agencies with roles in mass care and sheltering operations and define their roles
Describe the resources required for mass care and sheltering operations and mechanisms
for integrating State and Federal resources into mass care and sheltering operations in
Alameda County
This section provides a description of estimated, potential, operational priorities and response
objectives. They apply to the mass care and shelter functional area and depict potential phases of
response which might occur following a catastrophic earthquake in the Bay Area and Alameda
County. As indicated, the focus of this Plan is a magnitude 7.9 earthquake on the San Andreas
Fault or scaled response to a catastrophic earthquake on the Hayward Fault.
They are categorized, time-based, and provide a lose framework for the development of specific
actions which could be developed, expanded on, and evaluated during the plan development
process. The phases are:
Event occurrence (E) to E+72 hours: Initial analysis and action
Alameda County Catastrophic Earthquake Mass Care and Shelter Page 3 of 56 E+72 hours to E+14 days: Establishment of shelters
E+14 days to E+60 days: Ongoing support of shelters
E+60 days to E+1 year: Transition from shelters to interim housing.3
Note: The phases are consistent with the phases the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) and the California Emergency Management Agency established for the San Francisco
Bay Area Catastrophic Earthquake Readiness Response Concept of Operations Plan
(CONPLAN), issued in September 2008. The phases have been adopted for incorporation and
use in this Plan. They provide a mechanism for organizing the objectives and associated actions,
regionally, and relate the actions described in the CONPLAN with those that will be developed
for regional plans and this Plan. The phases that follow the actual occurrence of an earthquake
will likely vary from those listed here depending on the severity, location, type, and extent of
damage, and some of the actions described in the plans may be undertaken outside the specified
phases. The variations of the phases are indicated in this document.
E TO E+72 Hours
The operational priorities are:
Identify the need for shelter
Initiate the supply network
Initiate shelter operations
The response objectives are:
Coordinate initial damage assessment and other situational reports related to mass care and
shelter
Evaluate the current shelter resource capabilities of the agencies with mass care and shelter
responsibilities
Evaluate the ability of the road network to move people and supplies into shelters
Develop situational awareness of the current and ongoing need for shelter in the general
population
Open evacuation shelters
Evaluate the need to shelter jail populations
Notify all the agencies that will support shelter operations with staff and supplies
E+72 Hours to Days E+14
The operational priorities are:
3 Of the four functional areas for which URS is preparing plans, only mass care and shelter addresses activities
beyond 60 days.
Alameda County Catastrophic Earthquake Mass Care and Shelter Page 4 of 56 Provide shelter to those who need it
Evacuate those who need to be evacuated
Develop an interim housing strategy
The response objectives are:
Initiate damage assessment and building inspections of shelter sites
Mobilize staff and supplies for shelter and evacuation sites
Begin to open shelters
Establish a Multi-Agency Coordination Group for shelter operations, as needed
Evaluate the access and functional needs of shelter residents
Identify shelter residents with critical medical conditions who cannot be served in general
population shelters
Monitor the capability of currently open shelters to serve their residents
Provide information to the Construction/Engineering Branch about routes that must be
opened to support shelter operations
Coordinate with the Evacuation Unit to locate and establish evacuation sites for
transferring and receiving evacuees that provide:
Pickup points for initial collection of evacuees
Evacuation shelters to receive evacuees
Shelters for those without travel or other housing alternatives
Coordinate the movement of affected jail populations to shelters that are separate from
the general population
Establish communication systems between mass care sites and Emergency Operations
Centers
Initiate animal shelters
Support people who choose not to use shelters by providing information and bulk
supplies to the extent possible
Initiate governmental and non-governmental systems for tracking displaced residents and
re-unifying households
Prepare and disseminate information to local residents
Prepare and disseminate information to tourist populations
Collect data from damage assessments and building inspections of housing
Assess interim housing requirements
Initiate development of an interim housing strategy that describes interim housing options
Alameda County Catastrophic Earthquake Mass Care and Shelter Page 5 of 56 Coordinate local interim housing operations with State and Federal governments through
formation of a State-led Housing Task Force
Support Federal tele-registration for individual housing assistance
Establish Local Assistance Centers/Disaster Recovery Centers
E+14 Days to E+60 Days
The operational priorities are:
Maintain full shelter capability
Fully integrate support for access and functional needs throughout the shelter system
Continue to support people who choose not to use shelters by providing information and
bulk supplies to the extent possible
Maintain support of shelters for animals
Initiate the transition from shelters to interim housing
The response objectives are:
Maintain ongoing situational awareness of shelter activities
Evaluate safety assessments and building inspections of homes
Monitor and coordinate the capabilities of agencies, vendors, and other organizations to
support shelters and displaced residents
Fully integrate resources for access and functional needs, animals, and resupply of shelters
and distribution sites that support people outside shelters
Identify opportunities to close shelters and return residents to homes or available housing
Transition families from short-term solutions (e.g., hotels) to longer term solutions
Initiate coordination with Emergency Support Function #14 to develop community plans
Facilitate restoration of moderately damaged dwellings
E+60 Days to E+1 Year
The operational priorities are:
Complete the transition of displaced families from shelters to interim housing
Develop and implement a long-term housing strategy
Transition families to permanent housing
The response objectives are:
Close shelters and end bulk distribution operations
Continue to implement interim housing programs
Alameda County Catastrophic Earthquake Mass Care and Shelter Page 6 of 56 Provide wrap-around services to support those in interim housing
2.2 Plan Assumptions
The coordination of care and shelter operations among local jurisdictions assumes the following:
Incidents begin and end locally, and are managed at the lowest possible geographical,
organization, and jurisdictional level.
The Care and Shelter response will meet the needs of the community first, before serving
the purposes of government.
The American Red Cross Bay Area Chapter and local governments will commit all
available resources to meet the needs of residents impacted by the incident.
Local government has established an emergency organization for addressing shelter
operations.
Local government has responded to the sheltering needs by activating its emergency
response plan and response teams.
Local government has taken actions to shelter victims prior to requesting assistance
through the normal SEMS structure.
The local government, through its EOC, requests assistance for sheltering operations from
the Operational Area.
Shelter facilities and support resources will be limited in the first few days following an
incident where there has been widespread damage.
Shelters will be adaptable to the people they serve, providing accessible and culturally
appropriate services.
Neighborhood organizations and local congregations will materialize to spontaneously
provide care and shelter support independent of local government.
Some displaced residents will converge on public parks and open spaces, as an alternative
to using indoor mass care shelters.
Some residents will choose to remain on their property, even if damaged, rather than
move to a public disaster shelter.
The following section contains a summary of estimated scenario event impacts, needs and
constraints which might influence response efforts. This information provides context for the
objectives described previously.
Impacts
The scenario event is projected to have the following potential impacts related to mass care and
shelter:
An estimated 329,900 people in the 12-county Bay Area region will seek shelter because
of housing damage.
Alameda County Catastrophic Earthquake Mass Care and Shelter Page 7 of 56 The pre-disaster shelter capacity of the 12-county Bay Area region is approximately
250,300 people; the shelter capacity shortfall will be approximately 79,600.
The estimated daily number of visitors in the Bay Area is 216,000. Of that, 20 percent, or
approximately 42,400, will need short-term shelter until they are able to leave the region.
A higher percentage of the people who have access and functional needs will need shelter
than the percentage of the general population who will need shelter.
Displaced residents who cannot find local shelter may have to seek shelter in or be
relocated to other parts of California. Beyond the 12-county Bay Area region, the
estimated shelter capacity in California is 620,700 people.
Shelters that are not pre-designated or known by government (i.e., spontaneous shelters)
will open in communities shortly after the event.
Mega-shelters (facilities that can shelter more than 1,000 people) will open in the first
week after the event to shelter large numbers of people seeking short-term shelter.
Large numbers of affected residents will choose not to use shelters and will stay near their
residences in vehicles, tents, or other temporary shelters.
With the time projected to restore power and water systems, many displaced people, as
well as those in undamaged homes, will choose to relocate to an existing shelter when their
own resources are depleted.
Shelter populations will peak approximately 7 days after the event.
An estimated 218,300 animals will be brought to shelters or evacuated with owners.
Several county and State correctional facilities in the region will be damaged and will
require evacuation.
Within 1 month of the event, an estimated 373,000 people will need interim housing
because of damage to their residences.
Shelter Needs
The shelter needs which might result from the impacts of the scenario event are as follows:
Determination of who needs shelter services and the location of these people
Identification of people with access and functional needs
o Pre-event needs assessment to estimate total demand for establishment of integrated
shelters
o Evaluation of residents to understand and address these needs
o Further evaluation of shelter residents to identify any special safety or security
considerations (e.g., presence of sex offenders)
Identification of physical sites for:
Alameda County Catastrophic Earthquake Mass Care and Shelter Page 8 of 56o Evacuation shelters (for less than 24 hours)
o Sustained shelters (for more than 24 hours)
o Interim housing
Building inspections to ensure safe facilities for shelters
Identification of locations suitable for use as integrated shelters (i.e., shelters where the
needs of those with access and functional issues and the needs of the general population
can be met)
Identification of locations that would not be suitable for people with access and
functional needs (e.g., no wheelchair access) and could not be used as integrated shelters
Access to shelter sites (transportation routes)
Utilities for shelter facilities
Staff and supplies to support shelters and meet the estimated demand for shelter
Specialized staff and supplies, including medical staff, durable medical equipment, and
common medicines, to satisfy the estimated access and functional needs
Security inside and outside the shelter facility
Private areas in shelters to support access and functional needs populations
Hygiene and sanitation facilities and supplies
Feeding and distribution supplies, equipment, and staff
Transportation support for people who need services not provided in current shelters
Ongoing assessment of shelter resident needs
Animal shelters
o Co-located with shelters for people
o Animal-specific shelters
o Equipment and personnel
o Transportation of animals and people between shelters
o Systems to encourage owners to assume care for their own animals
o Provision of food, water, and other supplies
Housing Needs
The housing needs which might result from the impacts of the scenario event are:
Identification of the need for interim housing
o Building inspections
o FEMA intake for Individual Assistance
Alameda County Catastrophic Earthquake Mass Care and Shelter Page 9 of 56o State/Local Assistance Centers and Federal/State Disaster Recovery Centers
Identification of the existing supply of housing (e.g., rental units, hotels, campuses)
Identification of new housing alternatives (e.g., group sites, commercial sites)
Identification of “wrap-around” services (e.g., grocery stores, schools, health care)
Security for group housing sites
Constraints
The following factors might well act as constraints on local, State, Federal, and private-sector
response efforts:
Damage to buildings pre-designated as shelters
Damage to infrastructure, including utilities and transportation routes
Movement of teams, staff, equipment, and supplies in a degraded environment
Availability of qualified staff to support shelters
Accurate identification of need for shelter and evacuation; updating of information
throughout the operation
Availability of shelter sites over time
Companion animals: Shelters managed by the American Red Cross (ARC) allow service
animals but not companion animals
Resource shortages (e.g., supplies, vendors, contractors)
Not all of the pre-designated shelters in the FEMA/ARC National Shelter System will be
accessible, and those that are not would need modification to become so. This situation
limits the government’s ability to meet the access and functional needs of a community’s
population.
Most of the pre-designated shelters in the National Shelter System are in school buildings.
The functionality of most school buildings will be limited until about 7 days after the event
while inspections occur and resources become available.
Spontaneous shelters are not likely to be properly supported for several days and will need
resources during that time.
Mega-shelters may not be pre-identified, and plans may not exist for opening and
coordinating the management of mega-shelters.
Limited jail vacancies in the region may not allow for the consolidation of prisoners in
similar facilities.
Housing restoration timelines will depend on the availability of financing; local, State, and
Federal assistance; the availability of contractors; and local planning and permitting
decisions.
Alameda County Catastrophic Earthquake Mass Care and Shelter Page 10 of 56 Because of the dearth of available rental housing, tens of thousands of households will
require rental housing outside the Bay Area, or interim housing units will need to be
brought into the region or constructed.
Section 3
Concept of Operations
The Standard Emergency Management System (SEMS) is the emergency management
organization required by California statute, Government Code 8607(a) for emergency response
and disaster management in multi-agency and multi-jurisdiction emergencies. California
governments must use SEMS in emergency response and disaster management to be eligible for
any available disaster reimbursement funding for its personnel-related costs provided through
state disaster assistance programs. Alameda County utilizes the principals of SEMS in its
emergency response and disaster management activities.
SEMS incorporates the use of the Incident Command System (ICS). Organization is developed
around the major functions that are required during any incident, whether large or small. The ICS
is flexible, allowing expansion and contraction depending upon the size, demands and
chronological stages associated with any given incident.
ICS establishes lines of supervisory authority and formal reporting relationships. There is
complete unity of command as each position and person within the system has a designated
supervisor. Direction and supervision follows established organizational lines at all times, and
the system includes span of control limits throughout.
The Alameda County Operational Area coordinates care and shelter activities in its Emergency
Operations Center (EOC), through the Operations Section, Care and Shelter Branch. Figure 1,
below, shows the ICS framework utilized by Alameda County, in conjunction with and as an
integral component of SEMS. The Care and Shelter Branch is positioned under the Operations
Section. Cities may access county and mutual aid resources within the Operational Area through
the Operational Area EOC. In support of residents in the unincorporated areas of the County, the
Operational Area has care and shelter responsibilities similar to that of a local government.
Alameda County Catastrophic Earthquake Mass Care and Shelter Page 11 of 56The County Social Services Agency provides staff for the Care and Shelter Branch of the EOC
when it is activated for an incident requiring care and shelter operations. The Care and Shelter
Branch Director monitors and reports continuing needs for, as well as levels of provision for:
Shelter
Mass feeding
Registration and identification services
Functional needs of shelter residents
Care for service animals that may accompany shelter residents
The Care and Shelter Branch coordinates the activities of the Functional Assessment and Service
Team (FAST) in Alameda County. FAST is comprised of representatives from community
organizations and county departments who are trained to assess the special needs of people in
shelters including (among others):
People with sensory or mobility disabilities
Elderly residents
People who use service animals
People who need medication.
The Care and Shelter Branch may request provision of the following resources from the
Logistics Section:
1) Facility inspection
2) Shelter staff
3) Transportation
4) Additional facilities for warehousing, shelter, or distribution
3.1 Roles and Responsibilities
3.1.1 County Social Services Agency (SSA)
SSA is the lead agency for care and shelter response at the Operational Area level. SSA may
support local government with additional staff to operate disaster shelters.
In addition to staffing the Care and Shelter Branch in the Operational Area EOC, SSA provides
services through the following programs (these programs can supplement the response of local
jurisdictions to persons with special needs):
Area Agency on Aging (AAA): services to seniors and people with disabilities.
Adult Protective Services (APS): services to adults with developmental disabilities,
including mentally disabled adults and elderly persons.
Child Abuse & Children's Protective Services: services for children who are victims of
neglect or lack family care (such as without family supervision post disaster).
Alameda County Catastrophic Earthquake Mass Care and Shelter Page 12 of 56 In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS): in-home care services to low income elderly, blind,
and people with disabilities.
Public Authority for IHSS: provides a registry of screened home care providers for IHSS
recipients/consumers.
SSA also provides programs for child care, General Assistance, Medi-Cal, Housing Assistance,
Food Stamps, and Supplemental Security Income, which disaster victims may need as part of
their recovery.
The following entities support the County Social Services Agency in coordinating Care and
Shelter operations.
3.1.2 School Districts
Standing agreements may exist between school districts and the American Red Cross (ARC)
when shelters are needed in unincorporated areas. Thus, the first choice for shelter sites is a
school facility. A liaison representing the school districts in Alameda County has a seat in the
EOC, in the Logistics Branch.
Operational Area Emergency Management maintains a database of schools that have been
inspected and designated as potential shelters by the ARC. The school districts that serve the
unincorporated areas of the County are:
Castro Valley
Sunol Glen
Mountain House
Livermore Valley Joint
San Lorenzo
3.1.3 American Red Cross
ARC will partner with local government to help fulfill government’s legal responsibility of
providing care and shelter for its citizens in a disaster. ARC will provide a representative in the
Operational Area EOC, or provide a communications link to the Care and Shelter Branch to
ensure that the Operational Area is informed of ARC response activities. After a major incident
where there is widespread damage, ARC resources may not fully mobilize for as many as five
days. Until ARC resources are fully mobilized, local government will be required manage,
coordinate, and run all shelter operations.
ARC also provides shelter operations training to the public and to government employees. ARC
standards for shelter services will guide the provision of services by the Operational Area Care
and Shelter Branch.
3.1.4 Alameda County Health Care Services Agency
The Health Care Services Agency encompasses a variety of departments –Behavioral Health
Care Services, Public Health, and Environmental Health.
Alameda County Catastrophic Earthquake Mass Care and Shelter Page 13 of 56Behavioral Health Care Services performs the following functions:
Assesses and activates the response to disaster mental health issues.
Provides mental health counselors to shelter facilities.
Ensures the continuation of care, treatment, and housing for those clients residing within
the County mental health system before the incident.
Public Health includes Emergency Medical Care, an agency division which coordinates the
immediate emergency medical response to an incident including emergency medical dispatch,
and both emergency and non-emergency ambulance services.
Public Health and Environmental Health perform the following disaster response functions
related to shelter operations:
Prevent the spread of communicable disease and disaster-related illness.
Provides public health nursing in disaster shelters.
Monitors food and water safety and sanitation issues in shelters.
Monitors, assesses, and reports on disaster health status in impacted communities.
3.1.5 Community Based Organizations (CBOs)
CBOs provide direct and ongoing services to people with special needs during non-disaster times
and may be able to support the recovery of these residents following an incident. CBOs may
support local jurisdictions with sheltering, language, and cultural sensitivity needs, and serve as a
conduit for getting information to people that local government may have difficulty reaching.
Many CBOs have existing contracts for services through the County Social Services and Health
Care Services Agencies and can be contacted through those departments.
During incident operations, the County EOC Director will establish a liaison within the
Operations Section to serve as a link to CBOs when the Operational Area requires community
resources to address unmet needs of residents impacted by disaster. The Care and Shelter Branch
Director can also contact CBOs through the 2-1-1 information line.
3.1.6 Eden Information and Referral Services (2-1-1)
Eden Information and Referral Services maintains a database of local community services
available in Alameda County. The services in the database are accessible by government and
individuals through the internet or by calling 2-1-1, a 24-hour number for people in search of
daily emergency resources.
3.1.7 Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD)
In addition to local CBOs, national disaster relief organizations play a major role in response and
recovery at the local level. Most of these organizations are part of the national network, VOAD.
Some of the national organizations have local chapters that serve Alameda County. For an
incident in Alameda County, the Care and Shelter Branch Director can contact the members of
either the local or national VOAD through ARC. VOAD members include (among others):
Alameda County Catastrophic Earthquake Mass Care and Shelter Page 14 of 56 Adventist Community Services
Distributes clothing, bedding, and food following a major disaster; also provides
counseling.
Catholic Charities
Provides recovery assistance for families and individuals
Church World Services
Establishes and coordinates interfaith organizations.
Church of the Brethren
Provides child care services
Mennonite Disaster Services
Provides home repair and rebuilding services.
Nazarene Disaster Response & United Methodist Committee on Relief
Clean-up and rebuilding assistance, especially to older and disabled persons.
The Salvation Army
Provides mass feeding, distribution of clothing, counseling, and home clean-up.
Southern Baptist Convention
Provides mass feeding and post-disaster cleanup of homes.
3.1.8 The Private Sector
Businesses often donate goods or services to assist the community in its recovery from a disaster.
Cities may establish pre-disaster agreements with local businesses to expedite the purchase or
use of equipment and supplies required for shelter operations. According to the needs of the
Operational Area, the EOC Director will establish a private sector liaison as part of the EOC
Command Staff.
3.2 Notification and Activation of The County EOC Care and
Shelter Branch
In compliance with SEMS local government agencies initiate actions for a care and shelter
response within their jurisdiction’s affected areas based upon information received from local
incident commanders and other sources. If a local government activates its EOC in response to
an incident, the Operational Area will activate its EOC as well. Upon activation, SSA will deploy
a representative to the County EOC in Dublin to staff the position of Care and Shelter Branch
Director, under the Operations Section. The Care and Shelter Branch will coordinate requests for
shelter resources made by local governments.
Alameda County Catastrophic Earthquake Mass Care and Shelter Page 15 of 56The Operational Area provides care and shelter to impacted residents of unincorporated areas of
the County. A local government may also request resources from the Operational Area if its own
care and shelter resources cannot meet people’s needs. To initiate care and shelter response in the
unincorporated areas of the Operational Area, the Alameda County Sheriff activates the EOC,
then notifies SSA that shelter services are needed and that staff are needed to manage the Care
and Shelter Branch. SSA will coordinate shelter operations with ARC and the school district
serving the impacted jurisdiction.
Appendix 1 provides an operational checklist for the Care and Shelter Branch Director.
According to information gathered about the incident, the Branch Director may notify and
activate other County agencies and non-government entities if their resources are needed to
support a care and shelter response.
3.3 Information
The primary duty of the Care and Shelter Branch Director is to coordinate resource requests and
deployments with other branches and sections of the EOC. To coordinate response activities, the
Branch Director collects information from a variety of sources and with the support of the Plans
Section, develops and an Incident Action Plan that:
Assesses the situation
Defines the problem
Establishes priorities for Branch actions
The Care and Shelter Branch uses situation status reports from the Plans Section to make
effective decisions about shelter services in impacted communities. The information from the
situation status reports includes an immediate assessment of requirements for shelter and mass
feeding, including:
Locations of people needing for shelter and food
Estimated number of people needing shelter
Availability of facilities for shelter
Availability of facilities capable of meeting any identified special needs, such as
medically fragile evacuees
Level of staffing needed to support the estimated number of shelters, as well as shelter
liaisons shifts in the EOC.
The Plans Section can gather initial assessment from the local governments and organizations
(such as ARC) that initiate a shelter response. In the event of a sustained response, the Care and
Shelter Branch Director will monitor and report continuing needs and the provision of the
following services in order to maintain a common and verified source of information that all
agencies responding to the incident can use to plan their response:
Shelter
Mass feeding
Registration and identification services
Alameda County Catastrophic Earthquake Mass Care and Shelter Page 16 of 56 Service and companion animal care needs Public health needs related to shelter residents The Care and Shelter Branch Director records information on the internet-based Regional Incident Management System (RIMS). RIMS includes forms to collect the data most relevant for decision makers in other EOC sections and branches, as well as other levels of government. Another source of assessment data comes from the County’s Functional Assessment and Service Team (FAST). Composed of trained representatives from organizations who understand the special needs of vulnerable people, FAST will deploy team members to shelters to discover unmet needs. Social Services Agency collects and interprets the information, and finds resources within the agency or through the EOC Human Services Branch. 3.3.1 Shelter activity When multiple shelters are operating throughout the Operational Area, the Care and Shelter Branch Director collects information and manages situational awareness about shelter activity to ensure that the same level and quality of services is available to all impacted residents. At regular times throughout the operational period, the Care and Shelter Branch Director requests an accounting from shelter managers of the number of people who are using each shelter. The same report should also include a summary of issues to be addressed and the status of supplies at each site. A sample form for reporting shelter activity is in Appendix 3. The Care and Shelter Branch Director regularly compiles current shelter information and provides it to the Operations and Plans Sections Chiefs to support development of Incident Action Plans. Accurate shelter information serves as support for resource requests from other Operational Areas or from the State. ARC monitors shelter activity through reports collected daily. The ARC representative in the Care and Shelter Branch provides these reports and serves as liaison for resource and information requests between the Operational Area and the ARC disaster relief operation. 3.3.2 Infrastructure The Care and Shelter Branch should also work closely with the Logistics Section to monitor information about the status of transportation routes and lifeline infrastructure damage. Such information helps the Care and Shelter Branch to keep shelters supplied and supports decisions about when to close or combine shelters to provide more efficient services to residents. 3.4 Selecting Shelter Sites Given the scale of an incident that causes the Operational Area to activate the EOC, multiple shelters over a wide geographical range may need to be opened and supported. According to the needs of residents and the availability of resources, shelters may have to be managed by various organizations. The Care and Shelter Branch Director can estimate the need for shelters across the county through: Alameda County Catastrophic Earthquake Mass Care and Shelter Page 17 of 56
Damage assessment reports from first responders
Housing loss projections from such entities as the Associated Bay Area Governments
(ABAG) or FEMA. These projections estimate the damages to housing inventories
throughout Alameda County, according the materials and structures of buildings, as well
as other factors.
The damage from a significant event, such as an earthquake, will greatly reduce the supply of
available housing, especially for persons in multifamily units. Shelters may need to maintain
operations for a longer period of time than during other incidents until adequate replacement
housing is found for those remaining occupants.
The length of time that shelters are needed may determine the kinds of facilities selected for
shelter. Some facilities may need to return to original purposes soon, in order to speed
community recovery. The location of shelters and the length of time that they are open may also
determine the services that will be needed to transition residents out of shelters and into housing.
Information gathered from situation status reports from the Plans Section will help the Care and
Shelter Branch to plan for the support of other County departments.
The Care and Shelter Branch Director matches the availability of shelter resources with the kinds
of shelters needed to provide relief to residents immediately after the incident, or over a period of
time. In some cases, a shelter may only be needed for less than 24 hours, in order to provide a
safe place with limited services to residents who are able to return to their homes or to other
living arrangements. For displaced residents who will need more time to transition to another
home, the Operational Area may have to provide shelter for a number of days. The aim of the
Care and Shelter Branch is to provide temporary shelter and the Branch Director works with
County departments and other organizations to help people to move into more permanent
housing as soon as possible.
Before selecting a facility for a shelter or deciding to support a shelter that was opened in
advance of EOC activation, the Care and Shelter Branch Director makes a request through the
Operations Section to the Damage/Safety Assessment Group within the Infrastructure Branch for
building inspectors to ensure the safety of the facility.
In coordination with the Plans Section, the Care and Shelter Branch Director considers the
following issues when choosing where to locate shelters in unincorporated areas:
Are there other resources, such as businesses or social service providers near the impacted
neighborhoods? These entities are familiar with the residents and can ease the transition
from emergency response to community recovery when shelters close.
What are the demographics of the impacted neighborhoods? How much support from
government health and social services agencies will be needed, and for how long?
Can displaced residents easily reach the shelter (is the Operational Area able to provide
transportation)?
Are routes available to transport supplies to and from the site?
What is the ability of the shelter to meet the needs of the population, including those of
people with disabilities or other vulnerabilities?
Alameda County Catastrophic Earthquake Mass Care and Shelter Page 18 of 56County-supported shelters must be accessible to the general population, including people with
functional needs. In the immediate hours and days after an incident, building damage,
transportation disruption, and limited availability of resources may restrict access to some
residents. However, as the situation improves over time, the Care and Shelter Branch aims to
make shelters fully accessible.
Various social service programs within SSA and the Facilities Unit of the Logistics Section in
the EOC can provide the Branch Director with standards for accessibility according to the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In general, facilities selected as shelters should provide
the following to allow residents with functional needs to be independent:
An accessible entrance to the shelter (e.g., a ramp if there are steps at the front, and doors
that are easy to open, or are automatic)
Access to all shelter service areas (eating, sleeping and bathrooms)
Restrooms that allow for free access to toilet and washing facilities
Aisles clear of obstructions and navigable space for people with a visual or mobility
functional need
In preparedness planning for disasters, ARC inspects potential shelter facilities for accessibility.
If a pre-designated facility is selected to be used as shelter after the incident occurs, SSA staff
and ARC assess the facility’s accessibility standards before opening it as a shelter. A site
inspection form to be used before opening a shelter is in Appendix 1.
The Bay Area Super Urban Area Security Initiative Guide for Shelter Operations (2008)
provides additional information about selecting shelter locations and meeting accessibility
standards. The Local Government Template also lists accessibility standards for buildings used
for shelter.
3.5 Types of Shelter Facilities
In general, the Care and Shelter Branch coordinates operations among the following types of
shelters in unincorporated areas of the County:
3.5.1 ARC Shelters
Because ARC has developed shelter operations standards that are reviewed and revised over
years of disaster experience, the Operational Area can make the most efficient use of limited
resources by supporting ARC shelters and encouraging the public to use them. ARC-managed
shelters will be supplied primarily with ARC resources, which together with government staff
and materials can increase the number and quality of services available to residents impacted by
the incident.
In preparation for disasters, ARC identifies and surveys local facilities that can be used to shelter
persons. ARC maintains a list of potential shelter sites throughout Alameda County, and has
concluded agreements with the managers and owners of various facilities. ARC shares the list
with SSA and the Alameda County Operational Area. The list of sites includes data on the basic
features that will be needed after a disaster:
Alameda County Catastrophic Earthquake Mass Care and Shelter Page 19 of 56 Location
Capacity
Bathrooms and showers
ADA accessibility
Floor plans, including available utilities.
Though ARC may identify shelter facilities in advance of a disaster, the actual buildings that are
used after the incident will depend on the safety of the building and the surrounding
neighborhood.
The following facilities may be used as shelters by ARC, local government, or by spontaneous
organizations who may decide to open a shelter without first coordinating the operation with the
County.
3.5.1.1 Public School Buildings
In cooperation with the County Department of Education, the Alameda Operational Area and
ARC pre-designate public school buildings to use as shelters. California law (AB 2786) requires
public school districts and school authorities to make their facilities available as public shelter
sites in a declared disaster.
School gymnasiums and large multipurpose rooms can provide sleeping areas for large numbers
of people. Schools also have kitchens and bathrooms scaled for large groups of people. However,
school facilities may pose some limitations. An incident that occurs while school is in session
may require the school to become a temporary shelter for its own student population. For
security reasons, the Care and Shelter Branch Director may have to look for another site or
arrange separate shelter spaces within the school to keep students apart from the general public.
As part of community recovery, a school will need to return to its original purpose and
government may have to support people who cannot transition from the shelter to replacement
housing before the school shelter closes
3.5.1.2 Government-Owned Facilities
The Care and Shelter Branch Director may choose to use available government-owned
community centers, senior centers, recreational facilities, or auditoriums as public shelters. Such
facilities may have limitations. For example, local Recreation and Park Department sites are
usually smaller than schools and some facilities lack adequate bathrooms and showers. Typical
facilities may only accommodate less than 100 people. In a large scale event, it is more efficient
to support a few larger shelters rather than a number of smaller facilities.
3.5.1.3 Facilities owned by Faith-Based Organizations
ARC may have pre-existing arrangements to use churches, temples, synagogues, or similar
privately-owned facilities to house large numbers of people. Such facilities offer the following
advantages:
They are most often rooted in the same communities as the residents impacted by the
incident
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