Every city employee in San Rafael, whether they work in parks maintenance or the finance department, is legally required to drop their regular duties and mobilize as an emergency responder when disaster strikes.
San Rafael's Office of Emergency Services held training sessions on Wednesday, Aug. 5, to prepare the city's workforce for that role. The city announced the sessions covered three core topics: signing up for Alert Marin emergency notifications, packing a go-bag and creating a family emergency plan.
What is a Disaster Service Worker?
Under California Government Code Section 3100, all public employees are designated Disaster Service Workers. During a declared emergency, they can be assigned duties outside their normal job descriptions and are required by law to report and serve.
The city's Office of Emergency Services said all San Rafael employees become Disaster Service Workers during an emergency and mobilize to support the community as needed.
Summer preparedness push
The Aug. 5 training is the latest in a series of emergency preparedness efforts by the city this summer. On June 27, Deputy Director of Emergency Management Quinn Gardner briefed the Point San Pedro Road Coalition on wildfire preparedness and Firewise neighborhoods. On July 18, the San Rafael Fire Department held its first public life-saving training at Marinwood Community Center.
Gardner's June presentation covered many of the same household recommendations now being pushed to city employees: signing up for alerts, designating a family meeting place, choosing in-area and out-of-area emergency contacts and packing a go-bag for each family member.
What residents should do
The city is urging all San Rafael residents and businesses to take the same preparedness steps at home. The checklist:
- Sign up for Alert Marin. The free countywide notification system delivers alerts by phone call, text, email or smartphone app. Anyone 18 or older who lives, works or attends school in Marin County can register at alertmarin.org. Cell phone and VoIP numbers must be self-registered.
- Pack a go-bag for each family member.
- Create a family emergency plan that includes a meeting place and emergency contacts both inside and outside the area.
More information is available at cityofsanrafael.org/emergency-management/.
