Emergency Services
About the Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Services
The Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Services (SBC OES) is a department within the County Executive Office and is responsible for emergency planning and coordination for the Santa Barbara Operational Area.
Santa Barbara Operational Area
On a day to day basis, OES is responsible for emergency planning and coordination among the Santa Barbara Operational Area entities which include:
Cities: Buellton, Carpinteria, Goleta, Guadalupe, Lompoc, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Solvang
Special Districts: Air Pollution Control District, Fire Districts, Sanitary Districts, School Districts, Vector Control Districts, Water Districts
Volunteer Organizations: American Red Cross, Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES), Equine Evacuation, and Montecito Emergency Response & Recovery Action Group (MERRAG), Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD)
Industry Groups: CAER-Community Awareness and Emergency Response, Petroleum industry mutual aid group, SBIA-Santa Barbara Industrial Association.
Tri-County Coordination: Santa Barbara County OES also coordinates with adjoining offices of emergency services in Ventura and San Luis Obispo Counties. The Tri-County Coordinators meet and discuss regional preparedness several times throughout the year.
SBC OES Responsibilities
Maintain the Santa Barbara County Operational Area Multihazard Functional Plan.
- Maintain the County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in a state of operational readiness.
- Maintain a trained cadre of EOC team members.
Provide ongoing leadership and coordinate disaster plans and exercises with the seven cities throughout the County.
Assist County departments in developing department emergency plans which address how they will perform during disasters.
Assist County departments with development of facility emergency plans for every occupied County facility.
Provide ongoing training for County department emergency coordinators.
Participate in an ever-expanding public education campaign for all hazards through the Earthquake Survival Program (ESP), public venues and various media presentations.
Contact SBC OES
Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Services
105 East Anapamu Street, Suite 3
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
805-560-1081
805-560-1032 - fax
oes_admin@countyofsb.org
Emergency Operations Chief
Michael Harris (805) 560-1081
oes_admin@countyofsb.org
Emergency Manager, All-Risk - Planning
Richard Abrams (805) 560-1040
rabrams@countyofsb.org
Emergency Manager, All-Risk - Homeland Security
Joe Guzzardi (805) 560-1083
jguzzardi@countyofsb.org
Emergency Manager, All-Risk - Oil, Gas & Nuclear
Elsa Arndt (805) 560-1041
earndt@countyofsb.org
Emergency Manager, All Risk - Training
Jay McAmis (805) 560-1042
jmcamis@countyofsb.org