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Report regarding a resolution terminating the local emergency related to storm and flooding events. (Sharon Ranals, City Manager, and Sky Woodruff, City Attorney)
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RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution terminating the local emergency related to major storm and flooding events that occurred in February and March 2024.
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BACKGROUND
On February 5, 2024, the City of South San Francisco and the greater San Francisco Bay Area region experienced a major storm that caused significant issues, including prolonged electrical blackouts, clogged storm drains, and downed trees due to the combination of heavy precipitation and high velocity winds.
The City received hundreds of calls for service during the storm event. The City’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) was activated at 5:00 AM on February 5, 2024 in preparation for the event. Non-emergent dispatch calls were routed to the EOC to reduce call volume and provide relief to San Mateo County Public Safety Communications and SSFPD dispatchers to the extent possible. Parks and Recreation staff responded to several calls throughout the afternoon and evening related to downed trees blocking access to Right of Way. Public Works staff responded to calls throughout the afternoon and into the late evening related to blocked storm drains, flooded roads, downed trees, traffic signal damages or outages and construction fencing blocking Right of Way.
Impact to the South San Francisco Community
At the apex of the storm event, approximately 14,000 customers in South San Francisco were without power. At a larger scale, over 550,000 Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) customers experienced a power outage during the storm event. As a result of the severity of the storm event, PG&E’s resources were stretched and restoration of electrical service ranged from 24-72 hours after the storm passed. In response to the power outage, the City activated its Library | Parks and Recreation Center as a Community Resource Center for residents to charge their devices in the lobby areas.
Local Emergency Proclamation
Pursuant to Government Code sections 8630 and 8634, which is contained within Article 14 of the California Emergency Services Act, the City Council and Director of Emergency Services are authorized to proclaim the existence or threatened existence of a Local Emergency when the City is affected or likely to be affected by a public calamity. Section 2.72.050 of the South San Francisco Municipal Code (SSFMC) establishes the City Manager as the Director of Emergency Services. SSFMC Section 2.72.060 authorizes the Director of Emergency Services to proclaim the existence or threatened existence of a Local Emergency when the City is affected or likely to be affected by a public calamity and the City Council is not in session. SSFMC Section 2.72.060 (a)(1) states that whenever a local emergency is proclaimed by the Director of Emergency Services, the City Council shall take action to ratify the proclamation within seven (7) days thereafter or the proclamation shall have no further force or effect.
Pursuant to the foregoing local and state law, the City Manager/Director of Emergency Services proclaimed a Local Emergency and signed an Emergency Proclamation on February 7, 2024. The City Council ratified the Local Emergency Proclamation on February 14, 2024 in compliance with SSFMC Section 2.72.060 (a)(1). The City Council continued to declare and ratify the existence of a local emergency on March 13, 2024.
Since the last continuance, the City has abated the impact of the storm events to the City’s infrastructure and Right of Way. As such, the local emergency proclamation can be terminated.
FISCAL IMPACT
Termination of the local emergency does not create any direct fiscal impacts.
RELATIONSHIP TO STRATEGIC PLAN
This action is related Priority Area 3.0, Public Safety, under the goal of disaster response and crisis communication.
CONCLUSION
It is recommended that the City Council adopt a resolution terminating the local emergency related to storm and flooding events effective April 10, 2024.