San Joaquin supervisors appoint Tiffany Cacho as Emergency Operations director after debate over past performance and preparedness

The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors appointed Tiffany Cacho as the county's Director of Emergency Operations on May 13, 2025, by a 4-1 vote following a prolonged exchange among supervisors and concerns raised by one member about the nominee's past operational record.

The vote: Supervisor Curt Rickman voted no; four supervisors voted to approve the appointment.

Why it mattered: The director of the Office of Emergency Services is a key operational role that coordinates county response to floods, fires and other disasters. Supervisor Rickman urged the board to select a candidate with immediate operational experience and raised specific concerns about the department's performance during major incidents in recent years.

Debate and concerns: Rickman, who served as board chair during the 2022 winter floods, criticized the emergency office's timeliness and public-information capacity during that event. "We were not given information in a timely manner in many instances... It felt like it was pulling teeth," Rickman said, citing a lack of a full-time public information officer during the emergency and delays in information to the public and the board. Rickman also described confusion during last year's Crowl Hollow fire evacuation orders and said later evacuation messages created unnecessary panic among residents. He said those incidents showed shortcomings in operational leadership that, in his view, made the position unsuitable for a "learning on the job" appointment.

Support for the nominee: Other supervisors disagreed about the nominee's readiness. Supervisor Stephen Ding, who helped lead an earlier restructuring of OES oversight, said the nominee had gained operational experience and had been "battle tested" while working under Director Bruscia. Ding said he respected Rickman's concerns but noted that several candidates had been considered and that Cacho stood out among the applicant pool.

Procedural notes and outcome: County staff announced the salary step and an oral report required under government code prior to the board's action. After brief public and board discussion, the motion to appoint Cacho passed 4-1. The board instructed county staff to complete necessary administrative steps to effect the appointment.

What's next: County staff will complete hiring paperwork and notify emergency services partners of the leadership change. Supervisors said they expect continued work to strengthen OES staffing, public information and interagency coordination going forward.