TO: COMMUNITY AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION
FROM: JEREMY SWAN, COMMUNITY SERVICES DIRECTOR
MELISSA VOLLARO, RECREATION AND HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR
DATE: FEBRUARY 4, 2026
SUBJECT:
Title
CITY EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN
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SUMMARY
Following the devastating Eaton and Pacific Palisades Fires in January 2025, during his tenure as Mayor, Councilmember Corey Calaycay convened an Ad Hoc Committee to review the City’s emergency policies and practices. The Committee was also tasked with developing recommendations for future emergency preparedness and response measures.
After receiving several presentations from City staff and community partners regarding coordinated emergency response efforts, the Ad Hoc Committee approved a draft Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) for City Council consideration. On January 13, 2026, the City Council unanimously voted to adopt the proposed Emergency Operations Plan and authorized the City Manager to make non-substantive changes to the document, with the understanding that any future substantive changes must be approved by the City Council.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the Community and Human Services Commission receive and file the City’s Emergency Operations Plan.
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FINANCIAL REVIEW
The staff cost to prepare this report and material for the 2025 Emergency Preparedness Ad Hoc Committee meetings is estimated at $17,000 and is included in the operating budgets of the Administrative Services, Police, Community Development, and Community Services Departments.
ANALYSIS
2025 Emergency Preparedness Ad Hoc Committee
Following the devastating Eaton and Pacific Palisades Fires in January 2025, during his tenure as Mayor Councilmember Corey Calaycay convened an Ad Hoc Committee to review the City’s emergency management policies and practices. The Committee was also tasked with developing recommendations for future emergency preparedness and response measures. All meetings were open to the public, and meeting recordings are publicly available on the City’s website.
Councilmember Calaycay appointed the following members to serve on the 2025 Emergency Preparedness Ad Hoc Committee:
• Jennifer Stark, Vice Mayor/Committee Chair
• Ed Reece, Councilmember/Committee Vice Chair
• Jason Wong, Representative from Planning Commission
• John Neiuber, Representative from Architectural & Preservation Commission
• Deborah Scott Toux, Representative from Community & Human Services Commission
• Richard Weiner, Representative from Traffic & Transportation Commission
• Tim Dunfee, Representative from Police Commission
• Kevin Ward, Representative from Claremont Unified School District (CUSD)
• Reco Sanders, Representative from Webb Schools
• Bob Kern, Retired Senior Volunteer Program
• Larry Grable, Representative from Service Center for Independent Life
• Leif Cameron, Representative from Pilgrim Place
• Richard Rivera, Citizen Representative
• Robert Grimes, Citizen Representative
It should also be noted that Mike Hallinan, form Assistant Vice President and Director of Campus Safety & Emergency Services from The Claremont Colleges Services (TCCS) also served on the Committee until he left his position with TCCS in July 2025.
The Committee met five times between May and October 2025, during which time the following topics were discussed:
Monday, May 12, 2025
• Staff provided copies of the City’s existing emergency plan and asked for feedback/recommendations from Committee members.
• The Committee discussed its goals, including review of the City’s Local Hazard Mitigation Plan and the development of a City Emergency Operations Plan (EOP).
Monday, June 23, 2025
• Various partner agencies came to speak about their respective emergency plans:
o Golden State Water Company
o SoCalGas
o Southern California Edison
o San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments (SGVCOG)
o Metrolink
Monday, July 28, 2025
• Committee members received the first draft of the EOP framework.
• Two partner agencies came to speak about their respective emergency plans:
o Clean Power Alliance
o Los Angeles County Fire Department Forestry Division (including “Zone Zero” and “Home Hardening” recommendations)
• The Committee received a presentation from City staff on a recently adopted Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map.
Monday, September 22, 2025
• Various partner agencies came to speak about their respective emergency plans:
o California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)
o Los Angeles County Department of Public Works
o Service Center for Independent Life
o Community Organized Relief Effort
• The Committee received presentations from City staff on:
o City/State Building Codes related to wildfire preparedness, as well as incorporating new developments into emergency planning efforts
o City tree policies and tree-related safety concerns, including the concept of using goats to assist with brush clearance
• Committee members provided feedback on the draft EOP framework.
Monday, October 20, 2025
At its final meeting, the Committee received presentations from Foothill Transit and from City staff regarding emergency communication and coordination efforts. The Committee also approved a draft Emergency Operations Plan for City Council consideration. The Committee asked that staff do the following:
• Finalize formatting/structure of EOP document.
• Provide a report on the work of the Emergency Preparedness Ad Hoc Committee during the joint City Council/CUSD Board of Education meeting on November 13, 2025.
• Present a formal staff report and EOP for City Council consideration in January 2026.
• Present the formally adopted EOP to each City Commission in 2026.
• Coordinate future “tabletop exercises” (larger-scale emergency drills) with some of our partner agencies, including CUSD and those who presented to the Emergency Preparedness Ad Hoc Committee.
Emergency Operations Plan
The preservation of life, property, and the environment are inherent responsibilities of local, state, and federal governments. As disasters can occur at any time, the City of Claremont must provide safeguards that will save lives and minimize property and environmental damage through careful planning, preparedness measures, and training. Sound emergency plans carried out by knowledgeable and well-trained personnel can and will minimize losses.
The Emergency Operations Plan is a general plan and is not intended to present detailed procedures or solutions to every possible emergency that may occur in Claremont. It provides for the integrations and coordination of planning efforts through a whole-community approach and authorizes City personnel to perform their duties and tasks before, during, and after an emergency.
The EOP was developed for City departments and community partners with emergency services responsibilities within the City and EOP is included as an attachment to this report. The content is based upon guidance approved and provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the California Office of Emergency Services. In keeping with the whole-community approach, this plan was developed with representation from City departments and various other stakeholders, including:
• City staff members serving on the City’s Emergency Management Team
• Members of the 2025 Emergency Preparedness Ad Hoc Committee
• Other community partners:
o Golden State Water Company
o SoCalGas
o Southern California Edison
o San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments
o Metrolink
o Clean Power Alliance
o Los Angeles County Fire Department
o Caltrans
o Los Angeles County Department of Public Works
o Community Organized Relief Effort
o Service Center for Independent Living
o Disaster Management Area D
o Foothill Transit
The City is solely responsible for the development of its own EOP, just as outside agencies are responsible for the development of their respective emergency planning documents; however, understanding how partner agencies plan to respond to emergencies is imperative. It is also important to note that emergency response, including coordinated responses involving multiple agencies, will always depend on the type of emergency that has occurred and the scale of the emergency.
To ensure that agencies are prepared to work together, systems have been created to help streamline communication and documentation during emergencies. Agencies in California utilize the Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS), the National Incident Management System (NIMS), and the Incident Command System (ICS). Below is a brief description of each of these systems:
Standardized Emergency Management System
• SEMS is California’s official system for managing emergency responses.
• Purpose: To ensure state and local agencies in California work together efficiently during emergencies.
• Key Features:
o Organizes emergency response into five levels: field, local, operational area, regional, and state.
o Requires use of ICS.
o Promotes clear communication and coordination across agencies.
National Incident Management System
• NIMS is a national framework developed by FEMA to standardize how all levels of government and non-governmental organizations respond to emergencies across the US.
• Purpose: To provide a consistent structure and language for incident management across the country.
• Key Features:
o Uses ICS as its core operational system.
o Focuses on preparedness, resource management, communication, and command structures.
Incident Command System
• ICS is the on-scene management system used to organize emergency response teams.
• Purpose: To provide a clear chain of command, defined roles, and scalable organization during any kind of incident.
• Key Features:
o Assigns roles such as Incident Command, Operations, Planning, Logistics, and Finance/Administration.
o Flexible and can expand or contract based on the size of the incident.
Emergency Preparedness and Resident Engagement
If an emergency were to occur in Claremont, the following is a general overview of the initial steps that the City would take:
• The City activates its Emergency Operations Center (EOC). The City EOC will coordinate resource requests from the field and other jurisdictions within the City.
• The City determines appropriate staffing levels and resources needed to respond to the emergency. If resources are not available within the City, requests for mutual aid will be made to the Los Angeles Operational Area EOC either directly or through Disaster Management Area Coordinators, who are responsible for advocating for Area cities and liaise with the Los Angeles County Operational Area Emergency Operations Center as necessary.
• Information and updates will frequently be shared by the City to the community (emergency communications/alerts). During an emergency, residents should monitor emergency communications and carefully follow direction from authorities.
The City of Claremont and the Claremont Police Department encourage residents and business owners to prepare for all emergencies. People can reduce the impact of disasters by preparing for these events ahead of time with supplies, a plan, and training. In addition to the EOP, the City’s website contains several files that can be downloaded to assist people in preparing for an emergency or critical incident. These files can help people develop emergency plans for themselves, their families, their pets, as well as businesses. There is also a checklist for personal contact information and a listing of supplies that will assist users in putting together an emergency kit that includes food, water, and emergency supplies. To access these forms, visit <https://www.claremontca.gov/City-Services/Public-Safety/Emergency-Management> and click on “Emergency Preparedness Forms.” The adopted version of the City’s EOP will be posted on this webpage as well.
RELATIONSHIP TO CITY PLANNING DOCUMENTS
Staff has evaluated the agenda item in relationship to the City’s strategic and visioning documents and finds that it applies to the following City Planning Documents: Council Priorities, Sustainable City Plan, and the General Plan.
CEQA REVIEW
This item is not subject to environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
COUNCIL COMMITTEE REVIEW
The Emergency Operations Plan was reviewed and approved by the 2025 Emergency Preparedness Ad Hoc Committee on October 20, 2025, and adopted by the City Council on January 13, 2026.
PUBLIC NOTICE PROCESS
The agenda and staff report for this item have been posted on the City website and distributed to interested parties. If you desire a copy, please contact the City Clerk’s Office.
Submitted by: Submitted by:
Jeremy Swan Melissa Vollaro
Community Services Director Recreation and Human Services Director
Prepared by:
Katie Wand
Deputy City Manager
Attachment:
Emergency Operations Plan (Adopted 01-13-26)