BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The Kern County Grand Jury is raising concerns about disaster preparedness — including coordination, communication, and how the county helps elderly and disabled residents during evacuations.
The report found that while the county has a state-of-the-art Emergency Operations Center and systems like ReadyKern and Genasys to notify residents, there are gaps in coordination, field drills, and ways for residents to register special needs.
Andrew Freeborn is the Kern County Fire Department's public information officer, and he says, “We are not immune to emergencies here. We see large-scale emergencies happening here in Kern County.”
Kern County Fire says programs like Community Connect empower residents to register vital needs, giving first responders the tools to deliver critical help quickly. But officials say safety also starts at home and within neighborhoods.
“There are a lot of good things that can be done from a residential standpoint, like having redundancy. Do you have a cell phone and a landline? Do you have a neighbor who checks on you routinely, so if there were an emergency, they would know to come help you with your needs. ” Freeborn said.
The Grand Jury report also says not all Kern County cities have disaster plans, though it does not specify which ones. However, the City of Bakersfield tells me it does have an Emergency Operations Plan and works with County OES to regularly update regional disaster plans. The report also notes the county does not have a permanent manager at its Office of Emergency Services. “While county HR is looking to fill that manager role, there is still an assistant — the right hand of that manager — and the director is still in place,” Freeborn said.
Freeborn also highlights the importance of having a go bag, including important documents, medication, chargers, and other necessities — ready to go at a moment’s notice.
But currently, less than 10 percent of residents have a go bag, leaving many unprepared for fast-moving fires, floods, or earthquakes.
The Grand Jury says all cities must update emergency plans by June 1, and the county needs to hire a permanent OES manager and add disability options to ReadyKern by April 1.
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