The document discusses California's emergency management system and its response to the 2010 magnitude 7.2 Baja California earthquake. It provides context on California's three emergency management regions and 58 counties. It then details California's response, including activating the state warning center, coordinating with Mexico, deploying public information officers, and establishing a joint information center in Imperial County near the earthquake's epicenter. Lessons learned included the importance of relationships and training public information officers together before disasters occur.

1. The California Experience
Public & Crisis Communications
KELLY HUSTON

2. Three Regions &
Regional Emergency
Operations Centers
Inland
State of California Coastal
California Southern
Emergency
Management Agency
58 counties
38.2 million people
163,695 square miles

3. ‣ Use Standardized Emergency
Management System (SEMS)
State of California
California
‣ Operational Areas (OA’s)
Emergency
Management Agency
‣ California State Warning Center
‣ Office of Public & Crisis
Communications
‣ Tools We Use

4. BAJA, CALIFORNIA MEXICO EARTHQUAKE
Magnitude 7.2
April 4, 2010 | 3:40 pm
32 miles SSE from Calexico, California

5. Baja California,
Mexico
EARTHQUAKE
Magnitude 7.2
April 4, 2010
3:40 pm
32 miles SSE from Calexico, ‣ (30 seconds) NBC Nightly News broadcast for west coast
California (4/4/10 at 5:30 pm PST) - earthquake in Mexico. Example
shows how it was down-played and didn’t seem like a really
big deal. “Shook for a few seconds, no reports of damage or
injuries... Everything looks okay from Los Angeles.”

6. California
Baja California,
Mexico
EARTHQUAKE
Magnitude 7.2
April 4, 2010 Mexico
3:40 pm
32 miles SSE from Calexico,
California

7. Baja California,
Mexico
EARTHQUAKE
Magnitude 7.2
April 4, 2010
3:40 pm
32 miles SSE from Calexico,
California ‣ (120 seconds) Imperial County Board of Supervisors
Chairman Louis Fuentes describing what he experienced, the
scene in downtown Calexico and the rumors that immediately
followed the initial shock.

8. Baja California,
Mexico
EARTHQUAKE
Magnitude 7.2
April 4, 2010
3:40 pm
32 miles SSE from Calexico,
California ‣ (60 seconds) Imperial County Emergency Operations Center
Commander Tony Rouhotas of the Imperial County Fire
Department - talks about what happened to get the EOC
operational and the importance of the Public Information
Officer.

9. ‣ Cal EMA PIO Notification
Baja California,
Mexico
EARTHQUAKE ‣ Initial responsibilities
Magnitude 7.2 ‣ Who did we coordinate with?
April 4, 2010
3:40 pm ‣ Deploying PIO’s
32 miles SSE from Calexico,
California
‣ Strategy

10. California
Baja California,
Mexico
EARTHQUAKE
Magnitude 7.2
April 4, 2010 Mexico
3:40 pm
32 miles SSE from Calexico,
California

11. Damage in Calexico, California

12. Damage in Calexico, California

13. Damage in Calexico, California

14. Damage in Calexico, California

15. Damage in Calexico, California

16. Damage in Calexico, California

17. Damage in Calexico, California

18. Damage in Calexico, California

19. Damage in Calexico, California

20. Damage in Calexico, California

21. Damage in Calexico, California

22. Damage in Calexico, California

23. Damage in Calexico, California

24. Damage in Calexico, California

25. Damage in Calexico, California

26. State Issues & Needs
Baja California, ‣ Governor’s Briefing & Numbers
Mexico
EARTHQUAKE
‣ State Actions - Procs/Declarations
Magnitude 7.2
‣ Emergency Management
April 4, 2010
3:40 pm Assistance Compact (EMAC)
32 miles SSE from Calexico,
California ‣ Legislator Interest (state/fed)
‣ Governor’s Press Office

27. Baja California,
Mexico
EARTHQUAKE
Magnitude 7.2
April 4, 2010
3:40 pm
32 miles SSE from Calexico, ‣ (90 seconds) Imperial County Lead PIO of the Joint
California Information Center - Maria Peinado - The importance of a
PIO team and her recommendations for PIO’s to train
together before a disaster strikes and not to take on
everything by yourself.

28. Lessons Learned So Far...
‣ Get on the same page immediately
Baja California,
Mexico
EARTHQUAKE ‣ JIC becomes the glue
Magnitude 7.2
‣ Ask for help
April 4, 2010
3:40 pm
‣ Anticipate issues
32 miles SSE from Calexico,
California
‣ Plan for the long term
‣ Keep focus on your agreed-upon
goals & objectives

29. Baja California,
Mexico
EARTHQUAKE
Magnitude 7.2
April 4, 2010
3:40 pm
‣ (30 seconds) Cal EMA Assistant Secretary Steve Sellers,
32 miles SSE from Calexico,
Statewide Operations, comments about the importance of
California
relationships and how he already had an established
relationship with the Imperial County Emergency Manager...
was able to pick up the phone and get a true/honest briefing
and working together was much easier. “Don’t wait for the
disaster to exchange business cards.”

30. The California Experience
Public & Crisis Communications
Questions?
KELLY HUSTON
kbhuston@gmail.com
More at -> ProCommunicator.com