Report 2019-103 Recommendation 12 Responses
Report 2019-103: California Is Not Adequately Prepared to Protect Its Most Vulnerable Residents From Natural Disasters (Release Date: December 2019)
Recommendation #12 To: Emergency Services, Office of
To ensure that it fulfills its responsibilities under state law, Cal OES should, by no later than June 2020, issue the guidance that state law requires it to produce related to access and functional needs, including guidance related to establishing disaster registries and guidance on evacuating people with access and functional needs.
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2021
Cal OES has taken, and will take, steps to incorporate best practices for evacuating individuals with access and functional needs into the State of California Emergency Plan (SEP). The SEP is updated on a five-year cycle, and the next update is expected to be completed in October 2022.
1. October 2021: Cal OES added a section at the bottom of the SEP webpage, https://www.caloes.ca.gov/cal-oes-divisions/planning-preparedness/state-of-california-emergency-plan-emergency-support-functions, for supporting documents and included a link to the AFN Library where the AFN Evacuation and Transportation Planning Guidelines are located.
2. January 2022: Cal OES's Office of Access and Functional Needs will create a Best Practices document to also post in their library, https://www.caloes.ca.gov/cal-oes-divisions/access-functional-needs/afn-library, and it will be incorporated by reference into the Best Practices for Local Emergency Operations Plans document currently under development and expected to be completed by January 2022.
3. October 2022: Cal OES will incorporate both resources by reference into the 2022 SEP.
- Estimated Completion Date: October 2022
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Partially Implemented
Cal OES developed the disaster registry guidance as state law requires. We look forward to reviewing Cal OES's incorporation of its evacuation best practice guidance into its next version of the State Emergency Plan.
1-Year Agency Response
Office of Access and Functional Needs completed and distributed Cal OES Voluntary Disaster Registry Planning Guidance to local emergency managers statewide on 7/27/2020. We also request Finding #12 to be closed.
- Completion Date: July 2020
- Response Date: December 2020
California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Partially Implemented
Cal OES developed the disaster registry guidance as state law requires. However, Cal OES continues to state that it will not comply with state law by including in the state emergency plan guidance on evacuating people with access and functional needs. We will not consider this recommendation to be fully implemented until Cal OES fulfills its statutory obligation to assist counties by providing that guidance.
- Auditee did not address all aspects of the recommendation
6-Month Agency Response
Cal OES continues to develop guidance regarding disaster registries. The guidance will meet all statutory requirements outlined in state law while outlining the agency's determination that disaster registries themselves are not a best practice.
As indicated in its response to CSA's report,
Cal OES will not change its approach to the SEP, but will continue to reflect AFN considerations throughout all of its planning documents.
- Estimated Completion Date: Ongoing
- Response Date: June 2020
California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Pending
Cal OES continues to state that it will not comply with state law by including in the state emergency plan guidance on evacuating people with access and functional needs. Given the importance of planning to protect people with access and functional needs during evacuations, Cal OES should assist counties in that planning by issuing that guidance in compliance with the law. Further, Cal OES does not have the authority to chose not to comply with state law.
60-Day Agency Response
Cal OES will develop guidance regarding disaster registries. The guidance will meet all statutory requirements outlined in state law while outlining the agency's determination that disaster registries themselves are not a best practice.
As indicated in its response to CSA's report, Cal OES will not change its approach to the SEP, but will continue to reflect AFN considerations throughout all of its planning documents.
- Estimated Completion Date: June 30, 2020
- Response Date: February 2020
California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending
Cal OES states that it will not comply with state law by including in the state emergency plan guidance on evacuating people with access and functional needs. As we state in our report, Cal OES does not have the authority to chose not to comply with state law. It is critically important for local jurisdictions to include strategies for evacuating people with access and functional needs during natural disasters because people with those needs are more likely to need additional assistance. A lack of adequate guidance in this area is a critical deficiency in Cal OES's leadership. This recommendation will not be fully implemented until Cal OES issues the guidance that state law requires it to produce related to providing guidance on evacuating people with access and functional needs.
All Recommendations in 2019-103
Agency responses received are posted verbatim.
