Emergency Preparedness

Disaster Service Worker

 

Did you know?

All Santa Monica College Employees are Disaster Service Workers

You May Be Called Upon to Assist in the Event of Fire, Flood, Earthquake, or Other Natural or Man-Made Disasters

Dear College Community:

The State of California has a Disaster Service Worker Program that includes all public employees. Examples of emergencies include fire, flood, earthquake, public health, or public safety emergencies.

By law (the California Emergency Service Act), all Santa Monica College employees are Disaster Service Workers.

In the event of an emergency, all College employees may be called upon to provide service assistance.

Non-essential College employees (those not required for continuity of operations) may be released from their usual duties so that they can be reassigned to assist any agency or organization carrying out its emergency response duties. Employees acting as Disaster Service Workers will be assigned duties within their scope of training, skill, and ability. Examples of Disaster Service Worker responsibilities include:

  • Registering people at a shelter or other emergency facility.

  • Translating for non-English speaking individuals.

  • Acting as a messenger at a designated site.

  • Serving food to emergency staff or to vulnerable populations.

  • Answering phones.

We cannot determine in advance how many employees will be needed to respond to a particular emergency. In some situations, you might be assigned to do disaster service work closer to your home – for example assisting City workers in the community in which you live. In the event of an emergency, we will let employees know through established communications channels where they should report.

More information can be found on the College’s Emergency Preparedness website.

Questions & Answers Regarding the California Disaster Service Worker Program

California Government Code Section 3100-3109