CalEPA Emergency Programs:

• ARB
• CalRecycle
• DPR
• DTSC
• OEHHA

Report Emergency
(800) 852-7550

• CalEMA
• U.S. EPA Region 9

Resources and Document Library

On this page you will find resources for Cal/EPA Emergency Response and Disaster Preparedness.

Air Quality | Animal Disposal | Archives | Avian Influenza | Debris Removal and Disposal | Drought Declaration | Earthquake | Fire Response and Recovery | Hazardous Materials & Oil Spills | Preparing for an Emergency | Smoke | Useful Links | Government Assistance

Air Quality

• Heat and Air Quality Emergency Event Guidance (PDF)
• Air Now (Current air conditions for California)
• Air Quality from the South Coast AQMD
• Bay Area Air Quality Management District (AQMD)
• California Air Pollution Controls Officers Association (CAPCOA)
• California Air Resource Control Board Fact Sheets and FAQ’s
• California Air Response Planning Alliance (CARPA)

Animal Disposal

• Emergency Animal Disease Regulatory Guidance for Disposal and Decontamination (PDF)
• Draft Guidelines for Emergency Composting of Cattle Mortalities (Iowa State University)
• Guide to Whole Animal Composting of Dairy Cattle (New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Services, PDF)
• Carcass Disposal: A Comprehensive Review (Kansas State University)
• California Emergency Management Agency’s (CALEMA) Heat Preparedness site: (For current heat issues affecting the state)
• UC Davis Veterinary Emergency Response Team: (For more information on care and management of fire-affected livestock and carcasses)

Archives: Accomplishments Reports & Past Responses

• 2012 Accomplishments Report (PDF)
• 2011 Accomplishments Report (PDF)
• 2010 Accomplishments Report (PDF)
• 2007-2010 Selected Fire Response and Recovery Summary (PDF)
• 2007-2010 Selected Oil Spill Response Summary (PDF)

Avian Influenza

• Scenario-based State Agency Review: Public Health Considerations for Detection of Avian Influenza in Birds (HPAI H5N1)  Guidance (PDF)
• California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA)
• California Department of Public Health (CDPH). Formerly Department of Health Services

Debris Removal and Disposal

• Guidance for Conducting Emergency Debris, Waste and Hazardous Material Removal Actions Pursuant to a State or Local Emergency Proclamation -- October 2011 (PDF)
• California Emergency Management Agency (CalEMA) Debris Management
• Disaster Debris Removal Best Management Practices (PDF)
• Safe Cleanup of Fire Ash (PDF). Guidance for handling ash during cleanup
• Guidance for disposal of animal carcasses associated with fires (PDF)
• Wildfire-damaged structure demolition/renovation activities reducing potential exposures to Asbestos containing materials (PDF)
• Dangers of Asbestos following a Fire (PDF)
• Handling ash, debris, and other hazardous materials from burned structures (English, PDF)
• Management Options for Expedited Collection of Hazardous Wastes from Burned Areas (English, PDF | Spanish, PDF)
• Asbestos May Be Present in Debris from Burned Homes and Businesses (Southern California Air Quality Management District)
• Proclamation of a local health emergency by a county health officer (San Bruno gas pipeline explosion San Mateo County (PDF)
• Orders of the health officer (San Bruno gas pipeline explosion San Mateo County, PDF)

• Assessment of Burn Debris - 2007 Wildfires San Bernardino and San Diego Counties, California:
• Ash Report - Text Only (PDF)
• Tables for Ash Report (PDF)
• Figures for Ash Report (PDF)
• Appendix A -- Sampling and Analysis Plan (PDF)
• Appendix B -- Photograph Log (PDF, 5 MB)
• Appendix C -- Laboratory Analytical Certificates and Data Validation (PDF, 2 MB)
• Appendix D -- Statistical Analysis Report (PDF, 1 MB)
• Complete Ash Report (PDF, 20 MB)
• Addendum to Assessment of Burn Debris (PDF)
• Safe Cleanup of Fire Ash (PDF)
• United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) Voluntary Guidelines for Methamphetamine Laboratory Cleanup (PDF)

Drought Declaration

• Process and Criteria for Secretarial Determination Regarding Drought Emergency Projects (PDF)
• Application (MS Word)
• California Department of Water Resources 1 (PDF)
• California Department of Water Resources 2 (PDF)
• San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority (PDF)
• San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority 2 (PDF)
• Public Resources Code sections 21080(b)(3), 21080(b)(4) and 21172, and in California Code of Regulations, title 14, section 15269(c)
• Governor Brown Ends State’s Drought Status, Urges Californians to Continue to Conserve (3/30/2011)

Earthquake

• Southern California Catastrophic Earthquake Response Plan (PDF)
• United States Geological Survey (USGS) California Earthquake Information

Fire Response and Recovery

• Cal Fire Current Incidents
• Fire Season 2008: Executive Order S-03-08
• 49er Fire Cleanup Information Placer County
• Station Fire Recovery

Hazardous Materials & Oil Spills

Emergency Function for Hazardous Materials and Oil (EF-10)

• Interim Draft – California Hazardous Materials and Oil Emergency Function Annex EF-10 (PDF)
• State of California Emergency Plan (SEP)
•  California Emergency Functions FAQs (PDF)
• California Hazardous Materials and Oil Emergency Function Fact Sheet EF-10 (PDF)

Oil Spill Information

• California Coastal Commission Oil Spill Program
• Cosco Busan Oil Spill Executive Order S-14-07
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) BP Oil Spill Map of Response
• Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) Report on the safety of consuming fish and shellfish from the Cosco Busan Oil Spill.
• Office of Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR)

Preparing for an Emergency

• Be Prepared California
• American Red Cross
• American Red Cross Ready Rating
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Smoke

• Learn how to protect your lungs from wildfire smoke and the proper use of face masks (PDF)
• Smoke Impact. How to protect your family from the health effects of smoke and other information. Provided by the California Air Pollution Control Officer's Association.
• Wildfire Smoke: A Guide for Public Health Officials
• Health risks of wild fires for children - acute phase (PDF)
• Interagency Real Time Smoke Monitoring

Tsunami Debris Information

Current Information and Contacts

• Japan Tsunami Marine Debris Joint Information Center
• NOAA Marine Debris Program
• US EPA Region 9 Marine Debris

Marine Debris Documents

• Guidelines for Japan Tsunami Marine Debris Contamination Assessment (PDF)
• Japan Tsunami Marine Debris Volunteer Debris Removal Guidelines (PDF)
• Marine Debris in the North Pacific (PDF)
• Marine Debris in the North Pacific: Frequent Questions NOAA Guidelines on Japan Tsunami Marine Debris (PDF)
• U.S.EPA Region 9 Marine Debris Strategy (PDF)

Additional Links

• California Tsunami Program
• NOAA’s National Weather Service
• NOAA’s Center for Tsunami Research
• NOAA’s National Weather Service “Tsunami: The Great Waves”
• US Geological Survey “Surviving a Tsunami”
• CA Seismic Safety Commission

Useful Links

• AirNow
• California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Calfire)
• California Air Pollution Control Officers Association (CAPCOA)
• California Air Response Planning Alliance (CARPA)
• California Conference of Directors of Environmental Health (CCDEH)
• California Department of Fish and Game: Office of Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR)
• California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR)
• California Department of Public Health (CDPH)
• California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle)
• California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC)
• California Emergency Management Agency (CalEMA)
• California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment: Emergency Response
• California Office of Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR)
• California Fire Alliance
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Emergency Preparedness and Response
• Coordinated Agency Recovery Effort (C.A.R.E.) Los Angeles County
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
• Federal Interagency Incident Information System
• Federal Interagency Smoke Management Site
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
• Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA)
• Oiled Wildlife Care Network
• University of California Davis Veterinary Emergency Response Team
• US Department of Transportation (DOT) Emergency Response Guidebook
• US EPA Emergency Management; Emergency Response and Activities
• US EPA Region 9

Government Assistance

• Rebuild Your Life. A resource for consumers who are seeking information about what they need to do to recover from a disaster.
• California Volunteers. This website provides information on opportunities to assist in the relief efforts related to the fires.
• California Department of Insurance: Insurance and rebuilding information and assistance on insurance issues and claims. Call toll-free 1-800-927-HELP (4357).
• California Contractor's State License Board. Investigating building contractors or filing complaints. The Contractors State License Board verifies a contractor's license, investigates complaints, and provides information about hiring a licensed contractor. Contact CSLB Disaster Hotline M-F from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. at 1-800-962-1125, or 24-hour Automated Phone Response System 1-800-321 CSLB (2752).
• Franchise Tax Board. FTB provides guidance in obtaining tax relief for disaster casualty losses. Contact the Franchise Tax Board at 1-800-852-5711, (TTY/TDD) for hearing or speech impaired: 1-800-822-6268.