As part of the Emergency Partnership Advisory Workgroup's (EPAW) implementation and within the authority of Government Code Section 8588.1, California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA) has been actively pursuing key partnerships with private industry via MOUs. These MOUs will allow for more targeted and efficient delivery of goods and services by formalizing 24-hour contacts with the private sector. Just like the state has 24-hour access to governmental partners, it now has well-established personal relationships with emergency management professionals in the private sector that can be called on. These partners also have a coordinated role in the State Operations Center's Business and Utility Operations Center (BUOC) during an emergency response and recovery efforts. Having the private sector side-by-side with state, local, and federal emergency management personnel will expedite response activities and maximize resources.
Examples of how some of these MOUs benefit Californians include:
· Restore power - the California Utilities Emergency Association (CUEA) coordinates the repair of power, water and other utilities via its affiliate businesses, which is critical during an emergency to restoring a community back to normal.
· Access to supplies - Wal-Mart, Target and Home Depot have access to goods and supplies throughout the country and has a sophisticated logistics system to ensure that necessary supplies get to where they are needed in the shortest time-frame possible.
· Mobilize banking needs – Bank of America is one of the largest financial service companies that can supply ATM/Banking Centers to a community affected by a disaster.
MOUs:
· Create a single point of contact with state government for the private sector during disasters;
· Clarify how the public and private sector will exchange information;
· Establish a process for the state and private sector to work on joint emergency preparedness efforts;
and
· Promote consistency
Currently, Cal EMA has formalized partnerships with 16 organizations. These partners include:
· S.F. Helicopters, LLC (June 2005)
· Business Executives for National Security (June 2008)
· California Grocers Association (June 2008)
· California Utilities Emergency Association (renewed March 2010, original March 2008)
· Wal-Mart (June 2008)
· Home Depot (October 2008)
· Lowe’s (March 2009)
· Target (September 2009)
· Direct Relief (July 2010)
· Bank of America (November 2010)
· Time Warner Cable, Inc. (March 2011)
· Grainger, Inc. (October 2011)
· Gap Inc. (December 2011)
· Wells Fargo (January 2012)
· United Parcel Service (August 2012)
· Sears Holdings Management Corporation (August 2012)
As a public and private sector model, below is a sample MOU document that Cal EMA uses when formalizing our partnership with a private sector entity. If you are interested in learning more about the MOU process, please feel free to contact Tina Curry, Assistant Secretary of Planning, Protection, and Preparedness, at 916-845-8533 or christina.curry@calema.ca.gov or Kendall Skillicorn, CIP Coordinator of the Critical Infrastructure Protection Division, at 916-845-8882 or kendall.skillicorn@calema.ca.gov.
MOU Template.pdf