The panelists were MaryEllen Lowrey, Executive Director of the Trauma Intervention Program of Orange County; Mary Eason, from the Orange County Trauma Recovery Network Coordinator; Rachael Ferraiolo, Service Chief for the Orange County Health Care Agency Mental Health & Recovery Services; Mindy Daffron with Crisis Response Network that supports the school system, and Michelle Heater from WaymakersOC.

Who is the Orange County Emergency Management Organization (OCEMO)?

OCEMO consists of emergency managers for 33 cities that comprise Orange County. Additional members are from law enforcement (municipal police, the county sheriff, and fire departments), plus additional support services such as the county water district, the Orange County Transit Authority, the California Office of Emergency Services, and the Red Cross, to name a few.

An average of 60 representatives meet monthly at rotating locations in the hosting cities’ emergency operation centers or a local community center. OCEMO operates under the umbrella of the Orange County Operational Area located on Loma Ridge, which provides support for disaster events that exceed the capacity of an individual jurisdiction.

November’s meeting was held in Fullerton and managed by our Emergency Manager, Kristi Hofstetter Batiste. She led a panel of five organizations used by law enforcement to provide crisis support during emotional incidents such as suicides, murder scenes, and mass causality events. OCEMO is a valuable resource that has elevated Orange County to one of California’s premier organizations that manage large emergency events. Fullerton should be proud to be a member of this behind-the-scenes organization.