FAQs

The Office of Emergency Services, or OES, helps lead the County’s response when a disaster happens. OES makes sure the right agencies are informed, brings different groups together to respond, and ensures the needed resources are ready and used during an emergency. OES also creates plans for how to respond to and recover from disasters and shares preparedness information with the public.

OES runs the Emergency Operations Center, a place where emergency responses are coordinated across the region. OES also supports the Unified Disaster Council, a group made up of all 18 cities in San Diego County and the County itself, that works together to protect lives and property during disasters.

The County of San Diego’s OES is officially recognized by the Emergency Management Accreditation Program for meeting high standards in emergency management.

The Community Outreach and Engagement Strategy is a plan that helps guide how OES connects with the public and partners. It shows OES’s promise to provide excellent service to the community.

The strategy focuses on five main areas:

1. Whole Community Engagement – involving everyone in the planning process

2. County Cross-Group Collaboration – working together with different departments and partners

3. Public Outreach and Education – teaching the community how to prepare for emergencies

4. Public Information – sharing clear and accurate emergency information

5. Public Input – listening to what the community has to say

By focusing on these areas, OES can better support communities, build trust with partners, and help make San Diego County stronger and more prepared for emergencies.

The plan is open for public comment and review. We encourage comments from  Community-Based Organizations, Faith-Based Organizations, Non-Governmental Organizations,  Private Sector, Local Government, Emergency Management Practitioners, and Tribal Nations.

The goal of this branch is to help communities become more prepared for disasters. OES does this by using a “Whole Community” approach, which means including everyone, respecting different cultures, sharing helpful information, and focusing on reaching people who are more at risk or may not have easy access to resources.

Preparedness is a shared responsibility that involves everyone—not just the government—in efforts to keep communities safe. When individuals, families, businesses, schools, faith-based groups, nonprofits, the media, and all levels of government work together, the nation is better able to withstand and recover from hazards such as natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and pandemics. This idea is called the “Whole Community” approach. It emphasizes including people from all sectors—especially those with access and functional needs—in the planning process. It also ensures that everyone’s roles and responsibilities are clearly represented in national preparedness plans and materials. 

Visit FEMA's website for more information: Whole Community | FEMA.gov