Emergency Operations Center (EOC)

During a large emergency or disaster situation, City staff will open the Del Mar Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in the Del Mar Civic Center Town Hall. The EOC primarily serves as a point of information and resource management in order to promote public safety during a large emergency. Staff assigned to the EOC will collect, analyze, and distribute emergency information and support to residents, visitors, schools, businesses, City staff, and emergency responders. In addition, the EOC will coordinate public emergency notifications, evacuations, and sheltering.

The EOC is only activated during a large emergency or disaster, and would remain active until the situation is resolved. This can last anywhere from several days to several weeks.

Organization

The EOC is staffed by various City departments and is led by the EOC Director. It is organized using the National Incident Management System under the Incident Command System (ICS) Guidelines. Functional EOC divisions under this system include:

  • Management - Headed by the EOC Director, establishes incident response objectives and priorities and validates the information provided to residents, officials and the media.
  • Operations - Ensures resources are assigned and tasks are completed to achieve the incident response objectives.
  • Planning - Develops the EOC incident response plan and documents incident response actions.
  • Logistics - Ensures necessary resources are assigned and tasks are completed to achieve incident response objectives.
  • Finance - Accounts for costs, time and reimbursements

The City of Del Mar uses WebEOC emergency management system software and various communication tools to share information with the county and other agency EOCs.

Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)

Del Mar's Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) will assist City staff at the EOC during the event of an emergency. CERT will provide communications support through use of radio equipment and the Amateur Radio Emergency Network (AREDN). CERT will also respond to activation from the fire department for damage assessment and limited first aid in the field, and act as scribes for section chiefs.

Cap Pinney in EOC


Additional EOC Functions

  • Execute city leadership policy
  • Support first responders
  • Coordinate mutual aid
  • Disseminate public warnings and alerts
  • Coordinate evacuations and shelters
  • Facilitate continuity of city services and government
  • Conduct damage assessment
  • Prepare for recovery