CHICO — A room in Chico called the Butte County Emergency Operations Center could be mistaken for the hub of all things hatched to handle the raging wildfires in Butte County, from emergency responders to retardant drops to emergency declarations.
But it really is more simple and more localized than that.
Long-time Butte County point person Sang Kim is in the role of director of the EOC and it’s up to him and a staff, now of about 20, to fill needs.
Not in emergency responses, not in retardant drops, but in simple things like hotel rooms, food, information sharing, ways to help evacuees.
Normally camped in county buildings in Oroville, the EOC was moved to the new county quarters in Chico generally referred to as “the old Mervyn’s building” at North Valley Plaza by long timers.
A large ground-floor room behind locked doors looks much like central operations, with a huge screen on one wall, a square-arrangement of computer-filled tables, with radiating desks and computers.
Kim sits in front of the wall-size screen, at the head of the room.
Occupying other seats are personnel wearing two hats, from Department of Employment and Social Services Director Shelby Boston, whose second hat is care and shelter chief, to Pete Calarco, assistant director of Butte County Department of Development Services who doubles as planning section chief.
Each member has an EOC job and a regular county job to do.
There are representatives from the Butte County Sheriff’s Office, Office of Emergency Services, Animal Control, Information Services, Employment Services and more.
“People see firefighters when there’s a wildfire. Behind them is a lot to support for the front-line personnel.” It’s about helping residents too.
Activated by evacuation orders and warnings, the emergency center is “… about logistics,” Kim explained.
When disasters surface and talk turns to evacuation orders or warnings, the EOC activates, which actually is based in county offices in Oroville, primarily on Mira Loma Avenue. The EOC evacuated to Chico.
“People get evacuated. They need someplace to go, something to eat, help. That’s the center’s job,” said Kim on Friday.
Right now there are about 20,000 Butte County residents under evacuation orders and warnings, according to the Butte County Sheriff’s Office. Those under warnings — be ready but you don’t have to go — are encouraged to evacuate if they feel unsafe.
Under COVID
“This is not like any other disaster,” said Kim, who’s been with the county since 2004 and wintered many disasters from fire and flooding to the Oroville Dam spillway crisis and the Camp Fire.
The center works with the Red Cross, local food and lodging providers to make sure needs are met, especially in the time of COVID.
There are no traditional “evacuation shelters” like churches or fairgrounds, where line upon line of cots have been placed for previous disasters, so there’s extra work for the emergency center.
Now there are temporary evacuation points, where evacuees are told to stay in their cars until places can be found.
There are several hundred fire personnel and other officials here who need a place to stay and food to eat too. The EOC helps arrange that.
It’s been tough finding rooms since some are taken up by Project Roomkey, which has reserved rooms for COVID high-risk seniors living on the streets. There are about 130 under that program, according to Boston.
In rooms now are about 90 wildfire evacuees, but there are about 140 families on the waiting list, according to published reports from earlier this week.
Boston said some of those rooms could also be filled with evacuees from Glenn, Tehama and Plumas counties, which are also experiencing wildfire evacuations.
Planning
While Kim said the center’s job is to help out, it’s preferable for households to have a plan.
He recommends they make arrangements during safe times to stay with friends or family, and plan how to take care of pets and livestock.
“Pack a go-bag,” he says of the life essential from medicine and insurance papers, to phone chargers, cash and some food.
Independent planning like that helps relieve the assistance programs, accommodating those who can’t or won’t make arrangements.
Talk about communication planning, Kim suggests. While cell phones may not work, sending an email to Aunt Flo in Iowa about where everyone is can keep loved ones informed.
Kim adds the postscript to those in the way of disasters, “Listen to the Sheriff’s Office and law enforcement about evacuations. When there’s an evacuation order, go!”
Changes
After each disaster, county personnel, including the emergency center personnel go through a review of what can be done better. Since the Oroville Dam spillway crisis, evacuation notices come out in English, Spanish and Hmong.
“We’re really here to help residents to the best of our ability.”
Employees
Activated on Tuesday, the emergency center started as a 24/7, face-to-face operation, but as the fire battle progresses and changes, that shifts to Zoom and Skype communications.
Kim spoke during the regular wildfire evening briefing on Wednesday, putting out a compliment for county employees, and reiterating it on Friday.
“Everyone says they’ve got great employees, but really, the county employees in Butte County are incredible. They keep coming back. They keep serving,” he said, mentioning one of the EOC staff who had been evacuated out of the fire area.
“She’s still working. We have remarkable employees.”
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