Mendocino County OES and NWS brief supervisors on winter outlook and readiness

Travis Kilmer, Mendocino County’s chief recovery and resiliency officer, told the Board of Supervisors that the Office of Emergency Services (OES) manages the county’s Emergency Operations Center, leads long‑term recovery and mitigation planning, directs damage assessments and maintains mendoready.org as the county’s public preparedness hub.

Kilmer said the three‑person OES team supports county departments and external partners year‑round, coordinates mutual aid requests through state systems when local resources are strained and administers federal grants such as the FEMA Emergency Management Performance Grant and Homeland Security Grant awards.

Garrett James, OES emergency services specialist, outlined training and exercise work, including EOC section‑specific trainings, alert‑and‑warning exercises and an integrated preparedness plan required for EMPG funding. He clarified that the county’s alerting system is owned and operated by the Sheriff’s Office: “Only the sheriff or his designee can order evacuations and send alert and warning messages,” James said, describing OES as a supportive partner that manages the alerting contract and maintains templates and database sign‑up assistance.

Jeff Adair, emergency services coordinator, described the EOC organization and the need for pre‑established relationships with local, tribal, state and federal partners—Cal OES, Caltrans, FEMA and the USGS among them—so response roles are clear during an event.

The National Weather Service’s warning coordination meteorologist, identified in the transcript as Bridal Howard, delivered a seasonal outlook for Mendocino County and the Northern California region. Howard said the current water year has produced roughly 110–150% of normal rainfall in much of the region so far and that La Niña conditions remain favored: “So they have above normal precipitation for the Pacific Northwest … We’re here right in the middle,” he said, noting uncertainty for the region’s second winter half.

Howard warned that while the first half of a La Niña winter can be wetter, the second half often trends drier. He emphasized that single storms—an atmospheric river or a low‑elevation cold system—can still cause major flood or wind events even in an otherwise wetter or drier year and reminded the public how the NWS distinguishes watches, advisories and warnings for response purposes.

Kilmer and Adair noted OES’s pre‑positioned flood fight materials (Point Arena, Hopland, Ukiah, Laytonville) funded by a Department of Water Resources flood grant, and they recommended residents review mendoready.org to sign up for alerts and review evacuation guidance.

The presentation closed with a brief question period: supervisors asked about the county’s post‑quake inspection and coordination procedures following a recent local earthquake; staff described building inspections at county facilities and checks with local fire chiefs, noting no damage had been reported at that time.