Chapter 1 - Hazard Mitigation Web Portal - State of California

State of California Multi‐Hazard Mitigation PlanChapter 3 – State Mitigation Strategies and Actionsthe CUEA include gas, electric, telecommunications (including wireless), water, waste water, andpetroleum pipeline companies.During emergencies, the Utilities Operations Center (UOC) is activated to enhance members’capabilities to respond and recover from emergencies. Beyond involvement in emergencymanagement, utilities are involved in ongoing investments replacing obsolete equipment andfacilities. Many of these investments represent improvements in the resilience to natural andhuman‐caused hazards within their plants and facilities.Many business and industry organizations are recognizing that preparedness and mitigation canmake a difference between company survival from a disaster or going out of business. Riskmanagers and chief executive officers assess threats posed by disasters and implementmitigation and preparedness measures where risks are high.Community‐based volunteer agencies represent the most extensive source of responseresources in an emergency. They can provide caring and knowledgeable assistance in support ofemergency response and recovery operations. California Volunteers has been designated as thelead agency for the coordination of volunteers in disaster response and recovery by ExecutiveOrder S‐04‐06. Following a disaster, volunteer agencies continue to provide services for theirconstituents as well as for the governmental agencies which might need their unique services.The American Red Cross (ARC) provides disaster relief to individuals, families and emergencymass care in coordination with government and private agencies. It receives its authority from acongressional charter that cannot be changed by state or local emergency plans and procedures.In providing their services, the ARC will not duplicate the programs of other public or privatewelfare agencies, nor will it assume financial responsibility for their actions.California also has an extensive system of Fire Safe Councils, which are 501(c)3 non‐profitorganizations, involving thousands of citizens as well as over 50 corporate partners. Activitiesinclude community outreach and education, hazardous fuel assessment, community wildfireprotection planning, and community chipping projects.For more information on private sector disaster mitigation and emergency managementprograms, see Annex 2, Guide to California Hazard Mitigation Laws, Policies and Institutions.Click Here ToComment On:Chapter 3Section 23.2 State Capability AssessmentThe State of California has a history of successfully implementing hazard mitigation through aprocess of legislation, program development, and project implementation. This historydemonstrates the state’s enhanced capability to implement state‐level hazard mitigationprograms that are effective and, in many ways, state of the art.Examples include:• CAL FIRE’s Fire Planning Framework, which has become a national template for fireplanning;Public Comment Draft – July 2010 45