Emergency services: disaster preparedness.

Assembly Member Caloza's emergency preparedness legislation mandates biennial tabletop exercises coordinated by the Office of Emergency Services (OES) to evaluate disaster response capabilities across government agencies, educational institutions, military installations, and private sector entities. The exercises will simulate catastrophic scenarios based on established response plans, including the 2018 Northern California Catastrophic Flood Response Plan and the 2016 Bay Area Earthquake Plan.

Participating organizations must demonstrate proficiency in critical emergency response functions, from coordinating supply chains and managing evacuations to providing medical care and restoring essential services. The bill requires OES to assess participants' capabilities in at least four key areas, such as establishing unified command structures, protecting public health and safety, and delivering emergency communications through culturally appropriate channels. OES must report exercise outcomes to legislative committees by February 2028 and every two years thereafter, utilizing federal preparedness grants to offset costs for state, local, and tribal governments.

The legislation also directs OES and California Volunteers to conduct annual disaster preparedness training in vulnerable regions identified through federal risk assessment tools. These community-level events, coordinated with local Community Emergency Response Teams, must include testing of emergency notification systems - with priority given to areas that have experienced past alert system challenges. Training sessions will emphasize inclusive engagement across diverse populations and utilize public spaces for practical preparedness activities when feasible.