Catastrophic Planning
The widespread impact of a catastrophic incident makes it one of the most important topics in emergency management today. A catastrophic incident may be a single incident or a series of incidents and is defined as a natural or manmade incident, including terrorism, that results in extraordinary levels of mass casualties, damage, or disruption severely affecting the population, infrastructure, environment, economy, and government functions.
A catastrophic incident in California would likely result in:
-
- Thousands of casualties with many more requiring immediate lifesaving support from outside the affected area.
- Tens of thousands of people being displaced and isolation from normal supply channels and chains.
- Almost immediately exceeds resources normally available to the state, tribal, local, and private-sector, overwhelming response and recovery strategies and capabilities.
- Massive disruption of the area’s critical infrastructure (such as energy, transportation, telecommunications, medical response, and health care systems).
- Significantly interrupts governmental operations and emergency services to such an extent that state or national security could be threatened.
- Long-term economic impacts to the incident area, California, and Nation.
These factors drive the urgency for coordinated disaster planning and a need for national assistance. Following a catastrophic incident in California, a joint state and federal organization will provide lifesaving, life-sustaining, and other resources necessary to alleviate the consequences of the incident and encourage the recovery of the affected areas.
​Catastrophic Incident Base Plan
Concept of Operations: Establishes the concept of operations for how state and federal officials will coordinate for all types of catastrophic disasters (pdf download).
​Northern California Catastrophic Flood Response Plan (NCCFRP)
The Northern California Catastrophic Flood Response Plan (NCCFRP) is the fourth catastrophic plan for California. The NCCFRP provides a framework outlining how local, state, and federal governments will respond and coordinate in anticipation of and following a catastrophic flood event, with emphasis on impacts to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. This FOUO version is password protected.
Part I -Base Plan (FOUO Version)
Part II – Operational Annexes (FOUO Version)
Part III – Geographic Operations – Operational Area Profiles (FOUO Version)
Part III – Geographic Operations – Branch Profiles (FOUO Version)


​​Bay Area Earthquake Plan
Developed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region IX and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (OES) to describe the joint State and Federal response to a catastrophic earthquake in the Bay Area.
Counties impacted include: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Mendocino, Monterey, Napa, Sacramento, San Benito, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma, and Yolo.
Public Version: Provides a broad overview of the operations plan (pdf download).
FOUO Version: This is a password protected document.
​Cascadia Subduction Zone – Earthquake and Tsunami Response Plan
The California Cascadia Subduction Zone Earthquake and Tsunami Response Plan provides a framework outlining how local, tribal, state, and federal governments and private and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) will respond and coordinate immediately following a catastrophic earthquake along the northern California coast.
Counties impacted include: Del Norte, Humboldt, and Mendocino.


Southern California Catastrophic Earthquake Response Plan
The Southern California Catastrophic Earthquake Response Plan (OPLAN) provides a coordinated state/federal response to a catastrophic earthquake in Southern California.
Counties impacted include: Imperial, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Ventura.
Public Version: Provides a broad overview of the operations plan (pdf download).
FOUO Version: This is a password protected document.
For additional information and/or access to the FOUO versions of the catastrophic plans, please contact the Cal OES Disaster Planning Unit.
Jun Kinoshita
Senior Emergency Services Coordinator
Office: (916) 845-8134
Email: DisasterPlanning@CalOES.ca.gov