Regional Operations

Cal OES has three administrative response regions: Inland, Coastal, and Southern based in Sacramento, Fairfield, and Los Alamitos, respectively. Cal OES regions have the responsibility to carry out the coordination of information and resources within the region and between the different levels of SEMS to ensure effective and efficient support to local response. The regions serve as the conduit for local and regional perspective and provide a physical presence for Cal OES functions at the local level in all phases of emergency management.

What is the Role of a Cal OES region?

The three Cal OES Regions play a vital role in disaster response and preparedness throughout the State of California. The Emergency Services Coordinators and management from each geographic region has their own unique sets of challenges, but share the same responsibility to provide guidance on emergency management, support and information sharing during and after disasters, and remain the primary conduit of contact with the Operational Areas and Special Districts throughout the State.

SEMS

• Cal OES regions have a role in SEMS before, during, and after a disaster.
• Learn more about the Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS).

Preparedness

• Cal OES regions provide support and assistance to operational areas for a variety of challenges and threats

Response

• Cal OES regions provide first line personnel to operational areas who are experiencing a disaster.
• Cal OES regions have provided support during historical major disasters over the past century.

Recovery

• Cal OES regions support operational areas in organizing, conducting, and analyzing post-disaster damage assessments
• Cal OES regions support operational areas in organizing, conducting, and communicating debris removal of disaster debris and household hazardous waste.

Coordination

• Cal OES regions provide a resource for operational areas by helping to identify, recruit, and coordinate key stakeholders to assist in disaster planning, response and recovery. Some examples include:

Project Areas

When not responding to a disaster, each Cal OES region is also responsible for supporting a number of projects.

• Nuclear power emergency preparedness
• Animal/agriculture emergency management
• Communications and public information
• Alert & warning

Mutual Aid Regional Advisory Committee (MARAC)

The Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) was established by state legislation; Senate Bill (SB) 1841, Chapter 1069, Statutes of 1992, which went into effect January 1, 1993 (California Government Code Section 8607). The SEMS Maintenance System was developed as a means to establish and formalize a process for supporting the ongoing improvement and maintenance of California’s overall system for emergency management, including SEMS.

The SEMS Maintenance System consists of three levels of operation:

• SEMS Advisory Board
•  SEMS Technical Group
•  SEMS Mutual Aid Regional Advisory Committees (MARACs)

Although there is only one Advisory Board and one Technical Group (supported by SEMS Specialist Committees and a Cal OES SEMS Support Unit) there are six MARACs, one for each of the six mutual aid regions.

MARACs were established to provide a broad base for local government participation in the SEMS Maintenance System and are a principal source of input and information into the system. Recommendations from these committees to the SEMS Technical Group provide a means by which SEMS is maintained and improved.

Responsibilities of the MARAC are to:

• Adopt regional goals and objectives that support the development and implementation of SEMS.
• Ensure that local governments, operational areas, special districts and other organizations, including the private sector and non-governmental organizations, are kept informed of the latest information on emergency management and on SEMS.
• Recommend changes or modifications to SEMS to the SEMS Technical Group.
• Provide personnel and/or technical support to SEMS Specialist Committees as appropriate.
• Ensure that local agencies and jurisdictions are provided the opportunity for ongoing comment and suggestions for system improvements.

Each MARAC consists of:

• The Cal OES Regional Administrator, or deputy, for the Administrative Region encompassing the mutual aid region
• Regional Mutual Aid Coordinators (fire, law enforcement, disaster medical and other established mutual aid systems)
• A representative from each Operational Area located within the mutual aid region
• Representatives from two municipalities (small/large)
• Regional Public Utility Representative
• Private utility representative
• Special District Representative

Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC)

​The California State Emergency Response Commission  (SERC) established six emergency planning districts having the same boundaries as the Mutual Aid Regions. The SERC appointed a Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) for each planning district, known as regions, and supervises and coordinates their activities. For general LEPC information visit the LEPC Homepage.

LEPC Regions provide a forum for emergency management agencies, responders, industry and the public to work together to evaluate, understand, train about, coordinate and communicate chemical hazards in the community and develop regional hazmat emergency plans. The Plans are reviewed and updated as necessary, and provide information about chemicals in the community to citizens, government agencies and emergency responders.  Plans are developed with stakeholder participation.

You can make a difference in attending an LEPC Region meeting or joining as a member. View the full LEPC Meeting Schedule. For questions, please see region-specific contact information below.

Click here for HMEP Grant Information.
Click here for CSTI Hazardous Material Course Schedule.
Click here for CSTI Course Registration.