Note: For the statutory provisions authorizing local disaster councils and establishing requirements for these councils, see Gov. Code § 8610 et seq. For the statutory provisions regarding the California Emergency Services Act, see Gov. Code § 8550 et seq.
The purposes of this chapter are to provide for the preparation, unification and carrying out of plans for the protection of persons and property within the incorporated and unincorporated areas of the County in the event of an emergency; to provide for the direction of the emergency management organization and the coordination of the emergency functions of the County with all other political subdivisions, emergency services agencies both public and private, corporations, organizations and affected persons within the County.
(SCC 1481 § 2, 2011; SCC 1763, 10/21/2025)
The primary responsibility for preparedness for coping with emergency conditions within the County rests with the County Board of Supervisors, the County Executive, the Chief of Emergency Services, and with the governing bodies of the various political subdivisions within the County.
(SCC 1481 § 2, 2011; SCC 1763, 10/21/2025)
1. 
"Cities" mean all incorporated cities within the County.
2. 
"County" means the County of Sacramento.
3. 
"Deputy Director" means the Chief of Emergency Services or designee.
4. 
"Director" means the County Executive or designee.
5. 
"Disaster Council" means the Sacramento County Disaster Council established in Section 2.46.040.
6. 
"Disaster Service Worker" means public employees or agents, volunteers duly registered or unregistered but impressed into service during an emergency by a person having authority to command the aid of citizens in the execution of his or her duties.
7. 
"Emergency" means the actual or threatened existence of conditions of disaster or of extreme peril to the safety of persons or property within the County caused by such conditions as air pollution, fire, flood, storm, epidemic, civil disturbance, earthquake or other conditions, including conditions resulting from war or imminent threat of war, which conditions are or are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment and facilities of the County requiring the combined forces of other political subdivisions to combat.
8. 
"Health Officer" means the Sacramento County Health Officer or designee who has been appointed by the Board of Supervisors and fulfills those responsibilities and duties referenced in Section 2.21.070.
9. 
"Office of Emergency Services" means the personnel tasked by the County, whether employed, contracted or serving through another configuration approved by the Board of Supervisors, to create and administer emergency plans and which is administered by the Chief of Emergency Services.
10. 
"Operational Area" means the County serving as the conduit between the state and all political subdivisions within the County for the coordination of emergency information, resources and priorities.
11. 
"Political subdivision" means the County and any city, district, or other local governmental agency or public agency authorized by law within the County.
12. 
"Service Chief" means any person who controls and directs individuals or employees performing emergency functions such as law enforcement, fire, medical and other public services in the protection of life and property within the County.
(SCC 1481 § 2, 2011; SCC 1763, 10/21/2025)
A Disaster Council is established for the County and is subject to the Ralph M. Brown Act. The Disaster Council shall consist of the following or their designated alternate:
1. 
The County Executive or their designee;
2. 
Pursuant to each City's relevant authority, each City Council or City Manager of the Cities in the County shall appoint one representative employee per City to serve as a Disaster Council representative; a City representative shall be selected by the members of the Disaster Council to serve as the Vice-Chair;
3. 
One representative from special districts in each of the following service areas within the County: Fire, Water Districts, Reclamation Districts, and Utility Districts;
4. 
The Sacramento County Sheriff or designee;
5. 
The Sacramento County Public Health Officer or designee;
6. 
The Sacramento County Coroner or designee;
7. 
The Director of Economic Development or designee;
8. 
Subject to the approval of the above-listed members of the Disaster Council, the following additional community members could be added:
a. 
One representative from a non-governmental organization active in disaster.
b. 
A public member approved and/or appointed by the Disaster Council.
(SCC 1481 § 2, 2011; SCC 1763, 10/21/2025)
The Disaster Council has as its purpose the promotion of inter-jurisdictional disaster preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery. It shall be the duty of the Disaster Council, and it is hereby empowered, to take the following actions:
1. 
Meet upon call of the Chair or, in the Chair's absence or inability to call such meeting, upon call of the Vice-Chair;
2. 
Educate elected officials about their duties and responsibilities in the mitigation of disasters;
3. 
Encourage coordinated emergency plans, policies, and procedures between and among the cities, the County and special districts within the County;
4. 
Ensure compliance with laws, regulations, guidance, and directives for emergency management and homeland security;
5. 
Promote individual, family and neighborhood disaster preparedness and post-disaster self-reliance programs;
6. 
Review and recommend adoption of emergency and mutual aid plans and agreements;
7. 
Make recommendations on matters pertaining to emergency preparations and emergency management priorities when requested by the governing bodies of the County and the Cities within the County; and
8. 
Approval of proposed training and exercise plans for duly registered disaster service worker volunteers.
(SCC 1481 § 2, 2011; SCC 1763, 10/21/2025)
1. 
The following persons are disaster service workers and shall constitute the County emergency organization: all officers and employees of the County and the other political subdivisions within the County; those volunteer forces enrolled to aid them during an emergency; and all groups, organizations and persons who may, by agreement or operation of law, including such persons impressed under the provisions of Section 2.46.110(6)(d), charged with the duties incident to the protection of life and property in the County during such emergency. The function and duties of the staff and the various services within the organization shall be established and included within the emergency plans adopted by the Board of Supervisors.
2. 
Heads of agencies and departments of the County and the Cities within the County and service chiefs of districts within the County shall consider the emergency functions associated with their departments as part of their responsibilities. Such responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the preparation and maintenance of written plans when requested by the Director to be submitted to him or her for adoption by the Board of Supervisors, training of personnel within their departments with respect to their duties under such plans, and any other pre-emergency preparations to prevent or minimize the effect of an emergency. They shall supervise the activities of their agencies and departments during the emergency and post-emergency periods in accordance with the basic County Emergency Operations Plan.
3. 
Volunteers who perform service in the County emergency organization or for the operational area in accordance with provision of this chapter shall so serve without compensation. All volunteers shall be required to take an oath in a form to be prescribed by the State of California. Volunteers shall be registered with the Chief of Emergency Services as "disaster service workers" in order to be eligible for worker's compensation benefits, as provided for starting with Section 3201 of Part 1 of Division 4 of the State Labor Code.
(SCC 1481 § 2, 2011; SCC 1763, 10/21/2025)
1. 
There is hereby created the position of Director of Emergency Services. The Director shall be the County Executive. The Director shall control and direct the effort of the emergency organization of the County for the accomplishment of the purposes of this chapter. The Director shall designate alternates who shall, respectively, have all powers and duties of the Director. The Director shall appoint a Chief of Emergency Services within the County Executive's Office to manage the day-to-day administration and operations of emergency services for the accomplishment of the purposes of this chapter.
2. 
There is hereby created the position of Deputy Director of Emergency Services. The Deputy Director shall be the Chief of Emergency Services.
(SCC 1481 § 2, 2011; SCC 1763, 10/21/2025)
An Office of Emergency Services is hereby established to coordinate all emergency preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery functions and responsibilities to carry out the intent of this chapter. The Office of Emergency Services shall be headed by the Chief of Emergency Services which position is designated as the Deputy Director of Emergency Services. The Chief of Emergency Management, codesignated as Deputy Director of Emergency Services shall develop emergency plans and manage the emergency programs of the County, and shall have such other powers and duties as may be assigned by the Director of Emergency Services. Responsibilities and duties of the Deputy Director shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
1. 
Coordinate the activities of all emergency services both in pre-emergency planning, during an emergency, and in post emergency recovery activities;
2. 
Represent the County in all dealings with public or private agencies pertaining to emergency planning;
3. 
Organize and develop the County emergency program and operational area emergency programs working together with County departments, other political subdivisions, supporting agencies, volunteer groups and individuals;
4. 
Administer the Office of Emergency Services;
5. 
Develop and maintain the basic emergency operations plan for the County and supporting emergency plans;
6. 
Assist County departments and other political subdivisions in the preparation of emergency plans and operating procedures, reviews, modifications as necessary, and approve agency/department emergency plans and operating procedures;
7. 
Develop and coordinate such training programs and exercises as may be necessary to ensure readiness of the emergency organization;
8. 
Develop and coordinate programs designed to inform the public of measures for self-protection and emergency services activities;
9. 
Submit the County emergency operations reports as necessary to the Board of Supervisors and the Disaster Council;
10. 
Prepare and submit all reports required of the Office of Emergency Services by the emergency agencies of the Federal government and the State of California;
11. 
Serve as Secretary to the Disaster Council;
12. 
Administer the loyalty oath to disaster service workers or delegate the authority to administer the loyalty oath to such service chiefs as deemed necessary to meet the purposes of this chapter and maintain a disaster service worker registration program in the County;
13. 
Maintain 24-hour-a-day availability of on-call emergency management personnel for immediate response if called upon by the County;
14. 
Designate and maintain an Emergency Operations Center in an acceptable state of readiness;
15. 
Develop and maintain such programs as may be necessary to ensure adequate staffing for the emergency operations center and other emergency response or recovery activities;
16. 
Serve as the Emergency Operations Center Director when the emergency operations center is activated;
17. 
Provide advice and support to the Director of Emergency Services during an emergency;
18. 
In the absence of the Director, act as the Director of Emergency Services;
19. 
The Deputy Director of Emergency Services shall hold Department Director revenue contracting authority, consistent with Section 2.61.090; and
20. 
Following approval by both County Counsel and Risk Management, the Deputy Director of Emergency Services shall hold authority to enter into three-year zero-dollar coordination agreements with non-public entities for purposes of emergency response and/or recovery coordination efforts.
(SCC 1481 § 2, 2011; SCC 1763, 10/21/2025)
The emergency plan shall provide for the effective mobilization of all County resources, both public and private, as necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter. It shall be consistent with the State of California and national emergency planning guidance. Assignment of emergency duties and functions shall be set forth in the plan for all County agencies. Major revisions to the emergency plan shall be presented to the Board of Supervisors and shall become effective upon acceptance of the amendments by resolution of the Board. In assigning emergency duties and functions to County agencies and personnel, the Director shall place such responsibilities in order to utilize to best advantage the inherent competencies already existing in the County government structure. The provisions of the plan shall be mandatory upon the agencies of County government, its employees, and registered volunteer emergency workers, who shall diligently apply their efforts toward the development of the most effective emergency program within their means. Each service chief assigned responsibilities in the plan shall formulate the operations plan for their service.
(SCC 1481 § 2, 2011; SCC 1763, 10/21/2025)
1. 
The primary County/Operational Area Emergency Operations Center shall be such appropriate space as designated by the Director of Emergency Services. The Director or the Deputy Director is authorized to activate the Emergency Operations Center as circumstances require and shall have the further responsibility for requiring the partial or total mobilization of the County Emergency Organization to staff the Emergency Operations Center.
2. 
The Emergency Operations Center and all emergency operations equipment shall be under the control of the Office of Emergency Services. The Deputy Director is authorized to expend such funds as appropriated by the Board of Supervisor to maintain and provision the Emergency Operations Center including, but not limited to, providing such meals as may be necessary for the health and welfare of the Emergency Operations Center staff, and may require assignment of additional staff resources from County departments as may be necessary and approved by the County Executive. Such employees shall be on temporary emergency assignment and their personnel costs shall remain the cost of the parent department. Such employees shall be entitled to compensation as required by State and Federal law and the County Code.
3. 
It shall be the responsibility of all Emergency Operations Center service chiefs and alternates to have a thorough knowledge of the County Emergency Operations Plan and to ensure that their respective supporting services and key personnel are properly trained and organized to meet all of their responsibilities in the event of an emergency.
(SCC 1481 § 2, 2011; SCC 1763, 10/21/2025)
The Director, and in the absence of the Director the Deputy Director, is hereby empowered to take the following actions:
1. 
Request the Board of Supervisors to proclaim the existence or threatened existence of a local emergency if the Board of Supervisors is in session, or to issue such proclamation if the Board of Supervisors is not in session. Whenever a local emergency is proclaimed by the Director of Emergency Services or the Deputy Director of Emergency Services, the Board of Supervisors shall take action to ratify the proclamation within seven days thereafter or the proclamation shall have no further force or effect;
2. 
Recommend that the Board of Supervisors request the Governor to proclaim a State of Emergency when, in his or her opinion, the locally available resources are inadequate to cope with the emergency;
3. 
Control and direct the effort of the emergency organization of the County for the accomplishment of the purposes of this chapter;
4. 
Issue rules, regulations and orders in advance of a proclamation of local emergency which the Director considers necessary for the protection of life and property provided such rules, regulations and orders are ratified by the Board of Supervisors at the earliest practicable time; and
5. 
Direct cooperation between and coordination of services and staff of the emergency organization of this County and resolve questions of authority and responsibility that may arise between them;
6. 
In the event of the proclamation of a "local emergency" as herein provided, the proclamation of a "State of Emergency" by the Governor, or the existence of a "State of War Emergency," the Director, and in the absence of the Director, the Deputy Director is hereby empowered to:
a. 
Effectuate the provisions of the Emergency Operations Plan established pursuant to this chapter and to carry out any orders or regulations adopted by the Board of Supervisors;
b. 
Make and issue rules and regulations on matters reasonably related to the protection of life and property as affected by such emergency provided such emergency rules and regulations shall be ratified at the earliest practicable time by the Board of Supervisors;
c. 
Obtain vital supplies, equipment, and such other properties found lacking and needed for the protection of life and property, and to bind the County for the fair value thereof and, if required immediately, to commandeer the same for public use;
d. 
Require the emergency services of any County officer or employee or any officer or employee of any other political subdivision and to requisition the aid of as many citizens within the County as he or she deems necessary in the execution of his or her duties, such persons to be entitled to all privileges, benefits and immunities as are provided by State law for registered emergency service volunteers;
e. 
Requisition necessary personnel or material of any County department or agency;
f. 
Approve contracts as necessary to support the Emergency Organization and to protect the life and property of the citizens of the County; and
g. 
Execute all of the Director's ordinary powers and all of the special powers conferred by the provisions of this chapter or by resolution or emergency plan adopted by the Board of Supervisors, all powers conferred by any statute, by any agreement approved by the Board of Supervisors, and by any other lawful authority;
7. 
During the existence of a state of war emergency the legally constituted authority of the County shall be subordinate to the Governor of the State of California and the President of the United States.
(SCC 1481 § 2, 2011; SCC 1763, 10/21/2025)
The Chair of the Board of Supervisors, or in his or her absence, the Vice-Chair, or in their absence the County Executive, is empowered to proclaim a state of local emergency in the County when he or she finds that the circumstances described in Section 2.46.030(7) exist. Any such emergency shall be subject to the ratification and review requirements of Government Code Section 8630. In the event of a duly proclaimed state of local emergency, the County Executive shall have all of the following powers during the existence of such emergency conditions:
1. 
Issue any rules or regulations, including, but not limited to, the imposition of curfew, when essential to the immediate protection of life and property provided such rules or regulations are confirmed at the earliest practicable time by the Board of Supervisors.
2. 
Require the emergency services of any officer or employee of the County or any other political subdivision, and to requisition aid of as many citizens within the County as he or she deems necessary in the execution of his or her duties. Such persons shall be entitled to all privileges, benefits and immunities as are provided by State law for registered emergency service volunteers.
3. 
Order into service necessary property or material from any County department or agency or any other political subdivision, and in addition, requisition private property or material deemed by him or her necessary in carrying out his or her responsibilities for which the County shall pay a reasonable value thereof.
4. 
To execute all ordinary powers, all special powers conferred upon him or her by this chapter or by resolution adopted pursuant thereto and to be responsible for· and exercise emergency control over the County.
(SCC 1481 § 2, 2011; SCC 1763, 10/21/2025)
1. 
The County Health Officer is empowered to declare a "Public Health Emergency" in the County or any area within the County when the Health Officer reasonably determines that the conditions of disaster or of extreme peril to the safety of persons within the County are caused by such health conditions as epidemic or similar health conditions and are an immediate threat to the public health, which conditions are or are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment and facilities of the County, requiring the combined forces of other political subdivisions to combat. The County Health Officer may take any preventive measure that may be necessary to protect and preserve the public from any public health hazard during any "state of war emergency," "state of emergency," or "local emergency," as defined by Section 8558 of the Government Code, within his or her jurisdiction. Preventive measure means abatement, correction, removal, or any other protective step that may be taken against any public health hazard that is caused by a disaster and affects the public health.
2. 
When the County Health Officer declares a Public Health Emergency, the Board of Supervisors shall take action to ratify the proclamation within seven days thereafter or the proclamation shall have no further force or effect. Any such emergency shall be subject to the ratification and review requirements of Government Code Section 8630.
(SCC 1481 § 2, 2011; SCC 1763, 10/21/2025)
Any expenditures made in connection with such emergency activities, including mutual aid activities, shall be deemed conclusively to be for the direct protection and benefit of the inhabitants and property of the County.
(SCC 1481 § 2, 2011; SCC 1763, 10/21/2025)
All public and private agencies within the County, and all officers and employees of such agencies, shall cooperate with the Board of Supervisors, Director and the Deputy Director in rendering all public assistance in carrying out the provisions of this chapter.
(SCC 1481 § 2, 2011; SCC 1763, 10/21/2025)
Nothing in this chapter shall replace or eliminate the responsibility of each political subdivision to develop and maintain its own emergency plan and capability with respect to local emergencies confined entirely within any such political subdivision which such political subdivision is capable of handling.
(SCC 1481 § 2, 2011; SCC 1763, 10/21/2025)
It is a misdemeanor, punishable as provided in Section 1.01.190, for any person during an emergency to:
1. 
Willfully obstruct, hinder or delay any member of the County emergency organization in the enforcement of any rule or regulation issued pursuant to this chapter, or in the performance of any duty pursuant to this chapter;
2. 
Do not act forbidden by any rule or regulation issued pursuant to this chapter, if such act is of such nature as to give, or be likely to give, assistance to the enemy, or to imperil the lives or property of inhabitants of the County, including the Cities therein, or to prevent, hinder or delay the defense or protection thereof; or
3. 
Wear, carry or display, without authority, any means of identification specified by the emergency agency of the State of California or the County.
(SCC 1481 § 2, 2011; SCC 1763, 10/21/2025)