SEMS MAINTENANCE SYSTEM

Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) Guideines Part III. Supporting Documents Standardized Emergency Management System SEMS MAINTENANCE SYSTEM A System Description for the Ongoing Deveopment, Maintenance, and Operations of SEMS 1. Purpose of the SEMS Maintenance System: To estabish and formaize a process for ensuring ongoing maintenance and operations reated to the Caifornia Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS). 2. Background SEMS came about as a resut of State egisation that went into effect January 1, 1993. Paragraph 2425 of the SEMS reguation states that "...The Director, OES, sha estabish the SEMS Advisory Board consisting of representatives from emergency response agencies to provide advice on a aspects of this Chapter. "Paragraph 2443 of the reguation states that "...On or before December 1, 1995, OES sha deveop standards for compiance that wi incude a method of evauation regarding panning, training, exercises and performance." A SEMS Advisory Committee was appointed by the Director of OES in 1993 with the passing of the egisation. The Committee was instrumenta in the deveopment of the SEMS Reguations. A Training Working Group was aso formed in 1993 to assist and advise the Advisory Committee on the deveopment of a SEMS Training Curricuum. The Training Working Group was expanded in 1994 to oversee the deveopment of both Guidance and Training materias. With the statewide impementation of SEMS, it wi be necessary to have an ongoing system in pace to ensure an effective program for the ong term maintenance and operation of SEMS. SEMS Maintenance System, page 1

Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) Guideines 3. SEMS Operating System Requirements: A. A SEMS eves, i.e., fied, oca government, operationa area, region and state, wi require representation in any ongoing SEMS Maintenance System. B. SEMS wi be used by emergency response personne from a variety of agencies and discipines throughout the state, therefore, muti-agency, and muti discipine representation is required in any SEMS Maintenance System. C. Statutory responsibiity for SEMS rests with the Director of OES. The SEMS Maintenance System provides for an ordery process to assist the Director in impementing and maintaining SEMS. D. Panning, activation, impementation, modifications, after-action reporting, document contro, training and compiance are a eements that may require specific procedures, on-going guidance and maintenance activities as a part of the SEMS Maintenance System. E. A we documented process is needed to ensure that SEMS is maintained and operated effectivey on a ong term basis. F. Because of the need to maintain a standardized nationa fire services Incident Command System (ICS), a SEMS recommended modifications to ICS must be coordinated with the FIRESCOPE Program prior to impementation. 4. SEMS Maintenance System Description The SEMS Maintenance System consists of three eves of operation. Each eve is described in terms of responsibiities, membership, operating procedures and information fow. The three eves in the SEMS Maintenance System are: SEMS Advisory Board SEMS Technica Group (supported by) Speciaist Committees as needed An OES SEMS Support Unit SEMS Mutua Aid Regiona Advisory Committees The overa organization is depicted in the figure beow: Part III. Supporting Documents 3/1/95 SEMS Maintenance System, page 2

Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) Guideines SEMS MAINTENANCE SYSTEM SEMS Advisory Board SEMS Technica Group OES SEMS Support Unit Speciaist Committees I II III IV V VI - Mutua AId Regiona Advisory Committee 4.1. SEMS Advisory Board Membership The SEMS Advisory Board deveops and recommends poicy to the OES Director. The SEMS Advisory Board sha consist of the foowing members: OES Director, Board Chairperson Adjutant Genera Caifornia Nationa Guard Chairperson Caifornia Utiities Emergency Association Chairperson FIRESCOPE Board of Directors Chairpersons from six Mutua Aid Region Advisory Committees Commissioner Caifornia Highway Patro Director, Caifornia Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Director, Emergency Medica Services Authority (EMSA) Director, Toxic Substances Contro Department Director, Department of Heath Services Administrator, Office of Oi Spi Prevention and Response (OSPR) President, Caifornia Emergency Services Association (CESA) President, Caifornia Chiefs of Poice Association President Caifornia State Sheriffs Association State Fire Marsha Pubic Utiities Representative Chairperson of the SEMS Technica Group (non voting) Responsibiities of the SEMS Advisory Board: SEMS Maintenance System, page 3

Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) Guideines The primary purpose of the Board is to give advice and recommendations to the Director of OES in the administration of the SEMS reguations. The responsibiities of the Board are to assist the Director OES in the foowing matters reated to maintaining and operating SEMS: 1. Oversee the functioning of the SEMS Maintenance System. 2. Provide poicy guidance and direction to the SEMS Technica Group 3. Set muti-year goas, objectives and annua impementation workpans 4. Review, arbitrate and make fina recommendations regarding unresoved issues on guidance, training and compiance. 5. Make decisions on funding, scheduing, functions and composition of the SEMS Maintenance System. 6. Ensure participating agency and jurisdictiona commitment to SEMS. 7. Support and encourage SEMS impementation within SEMS member agencies at a eves. Operating Procedures 1. The SEMS Advisory Board sha meet bi-monthy or quartery. 2. Specia meetings of the Board can be caed by the Director OES as required. 3. A meetings wi be hed at OES Headquarters uness otherwise schedued. 4. Board meetings wi be conducted under Robert's Rues of Order. 5. Board membership can be modified by the Director of OES. 6. Each Board member wi have a designated aternate who must be deegated authority to commit the agency in decision matters before the Board. 7. The Chairperson of the SEMS Technica Group wi be a non-voting member of the Advisory Board. This wi ensure a cose coordination and information transfer process between the two eves. 8. Decision issues brought before the Board from the Technica Group wi be presented by the Chairperson of the SEMS Technica Group aong with prior staff work which wi incude recommendations of the Technica Group/Speciaist Committees as appropriate. 9. The Board wi provide timey resoution on a issues presented. Where consensus cannot be achieved, the Board may require further staff action on the Part III. Supporting Documents 3/1/95 SEMS Maintenance System, page 4

Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) Guideines part of the Technica Group or Speciaist Committees or refer the matter to the Director of OES for decision. 10. At each meeting, the Board wi review the current status of SEMS impementation, operations, and training. 11. The Board may task the Technica Group and/or Speciaist Committees with specific issues for anaysis and recommendations. 4.2. SEMS Technica Group Membership Caifornia Chiefs of Poice Association Caifornia Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Caifornia Emergency Medica Services Authority Caifornia EPA Caifornia Highway Patro Caifornia Sheriffs Association Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training FIRESCOPE Governor's Office of Emergency Services Representative from the six Mutua Aid Regiona Advisory Committees. Representative of a Loca EMS organization Specia District Representative State Fire Marsha Responsibiities 1. Responds to the needs and directives of the Advisory Board 2. Recommends poicy changes to the Advisory Board 3. Ensures necessary staff work (Technica Group or Speciaist Committees) is done on issues presented to the Technica Group by the Board. 4. Reviews and coordinates proposas/recommendations submitted by Speciaist Committees, Regiona Advisory Committees and the OES SEMS Support Unit. 5. Makes consensus decisions on a SEMS matters brought to the Technica Group uness those matters must be decided at the Advisory Board eve. SEMS Maintenance System, page 5

Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) Guideines 6. Competes necessary staff work on issue reated matters to insure that the Advisory Board has sufficient information to make poicy decisions. 7. Oversees the estabishment and functioning of the SEMS Speciaist Committees. Provides direction to these committees, and anayzes and evauates their recommendations. 8. Keeps the Advisory Board informed of the progress of SEMS deveopment, impementation, operations and training. 9. Impements within their respective agencies, agreements and poicies estabished by the Advisory Board. 10. Advises the Board on the effectiveness of the SEMS Maintenance System, the work of Speciaist Committees and Mutua Aid Regiona Advisory Committees Operating Procedures 1. The SEMS Technica Group wi meet (monthy or bi-monthy). 2. Meeting ocations wi aternate from northern to southern Caifornia. 3. Chairperson of the Technica Group wi be rotated on a semi-annua or annua basis. 4. The Chairperson of the Technica Group sha estabish meeting agendas, and ensure that the OES Technica Support Unit provides meeting announcements, agendas, and working documents for review to a members at east one week prior to Technica Group meetings. 5. Technica Group wi make consensus decisions on issues presented to the group wherever possibe. Voting on issues for which consensus in not achieved wi be recorded by member. 6. Issues for which consensus is achieved wi be recorded and the issue resoution provided to the initiator, and/or to the genera SEMS community through the Mutua Aid Regiona Advisory Committees in the form of a memorandum or other appropriate pubication. 7. Decisions on issues for which consensus cannot be achieved at the Technica Group eve wi be forwarded to the SEMS Advisory Board for resoution at their next meeting. A issues forwarded wi be accompanied by adequate staff work describing the issue, advantages, disadvantages and Technica Group membership voting on the issue. 8. Procedures of the Technica Group sha be carried out under Robert's Rues of Order. Part III. Supporting Documents 3/1/95 SEMS Maintenance System, page 6

Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) Guideines 9. Chair of the Technica Group wi be a non-voting member of the SEMS Advisory Board, and wi attend Advisory Board meetings. 10. Each meeting of the Technica Group wi incude a review of SEMS impementation and current operation. 11. Issues for which insufficient staff work has been competed and/or for which new staff work is needed may be referred to a Speciaist Committee for further action. 12. Fina action on a issues presented to the Technica Group by one of the Mutua Aid Regiona Advisory Committees wi be disseminated to that Committee in a timey manner. 4.2.1 Speciaist Committees Speciaist Committees may be formed under the direction of the Technica Group as necessary, and membership wi be decided by the Technica Group. Membership wi be kept to the minimum necessary to represent the functiona area and with the necessary expertise to staff out the issue. Speciaist Committees wi ony function on an issue by issue basis. They are not intended as permanent committees, uness that is essentia to preserve continuity. Exampes of Speciaist Committees coud be: Guidance Speciaist Committee - To draft revisions or additions to existing guidance. Training Speciaist Committee - To draft revisions or additions to existing training materias. To deveop innovative training approaches using, e.g., using muti-media techniques. To revise and update course syabuses, tests, instructor guides etc. Compiance Speciaist Committee - To draft revised compiance documentation, and/or recommend changes to compiance reated issues. Operationa Area Speciaist Committee - To consider ways in which Operationa Areas are being impemented, and to document and/or revise procedures or guideines for improved use of the Operationa Area concept. Mutua Aid Systems Speciaist Committee - To expore procedures for better coordination and communication between existing and deveoping mutua aid systems. 4.2.2 OES SEMS Technica Support Unit. Ongoing Technica support wi be required for the Maintenance System. Activities to be performed coud incude: document contro, printing, preparation of meeting SEMS Maintenance System, page 7

Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) Guideines agendas and minutes, trave arrangements, announcements, preparation of a monthy or bi-monthy status report, news etters etc. for the SEMS Advisory Board, Technica Group and Speciaist Committees. Membership It is anticipated that the OES wi provide staff support necessary to meet the administrative needs of this Unit. Responsibiities 1. Prepare and distribute meeting announcements and agendas. 2. Prepare and distribute mai-out materia for Technica Group and Advisory Board meetings. 3. Support administrative and technica needs of Regiona Advisory Committees as directed. 4. Provide trave arrangements and trave accounting for Technica Group and Advisory Board meetings as determined. 5. Prepare, maintain, and distribute rosters of Advisory Board, Technica Group, Mutua Aid Regiona Advisory Committees and Speciaist Committees. 6. Provide minutes of Technica Group and Board meetings. 7. Compie a SEMS status report for distribution through the Maintenance System 8. Provide other technica support as directed. 4.3. Mutua Aid Regiona Advisory Committees Six mutua aid regions (I - VI) are in existence, with severa discipine specific mutua aid systems functioning within the mutua aid region framework. Each mutua aid system works within a defined set of counties and with its own procedures, communications and personne structure. OES has estabished three Administrative Regions (Coasta, Inand, Southern) The Administrative Region functions in a genera coordinative and information exchange roe with regard to the mutua aid regions and systems that operate within the Administrative Region. To provide a broad base for oca government participation in the SEMS Maintenance System, it is recommended that Regiona Advisory Committees be estabished within the existing six mutua aid regions. These can be formed around, or incorporate existing oca government advisory committees. Part III. Supporting Documents 3/1/95 SEMS Maintenance System, page 8

Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) Guideines Mutua Aid Regiona Advisory Committees (S) wi be a principa source of input and information to the SEMS Maintenance System. Recommendations from these committees to the Technica Group wi be a primary means by which SEMS is maintained and improved. Membership (each mutua aid region) The OES Regiona Administrator or deputy for the Administrative Region encompassing the mutua aid region(s). Regiona Mutua Aid Coordinators (fire, aw, disaster medica, and other estabished mutua aid systems.) A representative from each Operationa Area from within the mutua aid region. Representatives from two municipaities (sma/arge and rotate annuay) Regiona Pubic Utiity Representative Private utiity representative Specia District Representative. Responsibiities 1. Adopts regiona goas and objectives that support the deveopment, and impementation of SEMS. 2. Ensures that oca governments, operationa areas other agencies specia districts and other organizations incuding the private sector are kept informed on the deveopmenta progress of SEMS. 3. Recommend to the Technica Group changes or modifications to SEMS. 4. Provide personne and/or technica support to SEMS Speciaist Committees as appropriate. 5. Ensure oca agency/jurisdictiona commitment to SEMS in terms of staffing, time and the deveopment of oca agreements as required. 6. Ensure that oca agencies and jurisdictions are provided the opportunity for ongoing comment, suggestions for system improvements. Operating Procedures 1. Mutua Aid Regiona Advisory Committees (s) wi meet on a bimonthy basis or quartery as needed. 2. A chairperson for each wi be eected from the genera membership, and membership wi be rotated annuay or semi-annuay. SEMS Maintenance System, page 9

Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) Guideines 3. membership may be modified based on the unanimous vote of the representatives. 4. A representative of the wi attend and be a voting member of Technica Group Meetings. 5. The Chairperson of each wi attend SEMS Advisory Board meetings as a voting member. 6. Each issue presented to the wi be reviewed and discussed by the committee. If deemed appropriate, recommendations reative to the issues presented wi be forwarded to the Technica Group for action at their next schedued meeting. 7. Issues recommended for action to the Committee by any source within the mutua aid region wi be responded to in writing in a timey manner. Actions resovabe at the eve (that woud not infuence other s) may be decided at that eve. Issues for which further action is needed and/or are recommended for state-wide approva or informationa ony issues wi be submitted to the Technica Group. 8. Administrative staff support to mutua aid regiona advisory committees wi be provided through the associated OES Administrative Region. 5. Information Fow within the SEMS Maintenance System Organizationa eements of the SEMS Maintenance System may at any time be invoved in: Providing genera information to the entire SEMS community Resoving technica issues reated to ongoing SEMS impementation, operation or training. Resoving issues regarding probems requiring additiona guidance or training materias. Part III. Supporting Documents 3/1/95 SEMS Maintenance System, page 10

Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) Guideines Deveoping, approving, impementing new guidance, or training materia. Resoving issues of compiance. A eves of the system are considered appropriate points of entry for issues to be resoved. Any person or agency may bring an issue (in writing) to the attention of any eve of the SEMS Maintenance System. This incudes SEMS Speciaist Committees and the OES Technica Support unit. Issues wi be forwarded to, and resoved at the owest eve possibe within the organization. Issues that cannot be successfuy resoved at a ower eve wi be forwarded to the next higher eve. Exampe: The Board Member of agency (x) requests the organization consider the addition of an additiona training modue to cover a certain subject of particuar interest to his/her agency. This matter, originay brought up at the SEMS Advisory Board eve, woud be forwarded to the Technica Group who woud consider the issues and if necessary forward it to the Training Speciaist Committee for action. The Training Speciaist Group may recommend to the Technica Group that adequate information on the subject is contained in existing training materias and is not necessary.. The Technica Group woud indicate that to the requesting Board member indicating where the subject is covered. If the Board member persists, then the Board coud take action and direct the Technica Group to pursue the additiona deveopment of training materia. Exampe: City, recommends to the Region III that an additiona guidance eement is needed to cover SEMS participation by a certain agency. The determines that this issue has vaidity and is of concern to the genera SEMS community. The issue is forwarded to the Technica Group. The Technica Group concurs and requests the Guidance Speciaist Committee to draft appropriate guidance. The Technica Group wi review the guidance, and if consensus is reached wi recommend the Guidance to the Advisory Board for adoption. Exampe: Guidance Speciaist Committee recommends to the Technica Group that additiona terms and definitions be added to the SEMS Gossary to cover new guidance. The Technica Group coud approve the additions. An action of this nature woud not be referred to the Board, uness there was faiure to reach consensus at the Technica group eve. A issues at the mutua aid regiona advisory committee eve which coud affect other regions must be brought to the Technica Group for resoution. SEMS Maintenance System, page 11