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County consultant outlines updated Mono County Emergency Operations Plan and calls for wide stakeholder review
Summary
An IEM planner presented a draft Emergency Operations Plan update focused on whole‑community planning, nine standing objectives, and public‑warning improvements; supervisors urged inclusion of Caltrans, utilities, fire protection districts and federal land managers and asked for an actionable review timeline and technical briefings.
Brandy Welch, senior planner and project manager with IEM, gave the Mono County Board of Supervisors a detailed update on a contracted Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) revision on March 17. Welch said work began in July with a document review and stakeholder engagement (kickoff in October and follow‑ups on mass care and a February meeting), and that the plan emphasizes whole‑community planning, accessibility (508 compliance), and nine standing objectives that guide notification, resource management and public warning.
Why it matters: Mono County has a mix of residents and seasonal visitors, complex jurisdictional relationships with federal land managers and unique winter‑weather and avalanche hazards. Welch and supervisors focused much of the discussion on objective 4 — public information, alert and warning — and how the county can better reach tourists and corridor travelers who don’t opt‑in to local alert systems.
Key technical points and board questions: Welch said the draft catalogs existing platforms (Wireless Emergency Alerts, Everbridge/CodeRED, sirens, NOAA weather radios) and will include operational checklists for EOC activations. Supervisors asked for greater outreach to Caltrans, utilities (including SCE), community public‑safety assets (town and county public works, fire protection districts), and federal land managers. Welch suggested practical steps—partnering with hotels, short‑term rental hosts and private sector partners for traveler alerts, including NOAA weather radios in a public campaign, and documenting what is feasible within current county technical capacities.
Next steps: Welch said the contract runs through June, that a first draft will be shared with the Mono County project team and stakeholders for review and validation, and that Cal OES will review the draft; staff projected a final wrapped plan by May with built‑in time for stakeholder review and edits.
