The City and County of San Francisco (CCSF) Department of Emergency Management (DEM) and the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) have initiated the process of updating the 2001 SFUSD Emergency Operations Plan (EOP). California public schools are required to comply with California Education Code (CEC), Section 35294, which deals with the preparation of ―safe school plans.‖ These plans address violence prevention, emergency preparedness, traffic safety, and crisis intervention.
As an independent agency answering to the State of California, SFUSD would normally establish an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) for the management and coordination of emergency response and recovery activities within the District. Some of the important benefits of operating an EOC include direct access to the California Emergency Management Agency (CalEMA) in applying for reimbursement following a catastrophic incident and, of course, in maintaining the District’s autonomy. However, since the District boundaries and area of responsibility are contiguous with that of CCSF, and considering the enormous capabilities and resources CCSF brings to an emergency or disaster, it is in the best interests of the District to interface directly with the CCSF Incident Command System (ICS). The most efficient method for accommodating this relationship is to establish a Department Operations Center (DOC) so that the authority of the Superintendent of Schools is in no way undermined, and the ability to efficiently respond to the emergency and save lives and property is enhanced
