Page 2 - Emergency Management Brochure Final

The COMMUNITY

The County of Monterey is set in a picturesque coastal location and offers tourists and residents alike the comfort of

a moderate, Mediterranean climate, miles of beautiful beaches, spectacular mountain ranges, groves of redwoods,

low-rolling foothills, and scenic valleys. Boasting such world-renowned attractions as the spectacular Big Sur Coast,

Laguna Seca Raceway, 17-Mile Drive, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Cannery Row, the Steinbeck Center, the Monterey Jazz
and Blues Festivals and Pebble Beach – possibly the world’s most famous golf course, it’s easy to see why over 432,000

residents choose to live here and an estimated 4 million visitors a year make Monterey County their destination of

choice. Monterey County is known for its natural resources, pristine environmental sites, long military history, and as

a location for top educational institutions. The County encompasses a total land area of 3,324 square miles. There has
been steady growth over the past decade and with County residents residing in 12 cities and unincorporated areas. The

County is known as the “Salad Bowl of the World” and is one of the nation’s top agricultural producers. Agriculture is

the County’s largest sector in terms of economic output and employment, touching nearly every facet of life in Monterey

County. Most agricultural companies continue to be family-owned and operated. Core to the success of agriculture and
the community in Monterey County is the access and management of water resources.

COUNTY GOVERNMENT The DEPARTMENT

The County is a general law county comprised of ten elect- The County of Monterey is the Single Operational Area and
ed officials including a five-member Board of Supervisors, Operational Area Authority responsible for coordinating
Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder, Auditor-Controller, Dis- inter-jurisdictional emergency management activities during
trict Attorney, Sheriff-Coroner, and Treasurer-Tax-Collector. disasters. The Department of Emergency Management
All 10 officers are elected to four-year terms. A County Ad- supports twelve (12) incorporated cities and over 30 unin-
ministrative Officer is appointed by the Board and functions corporated towns and communities of which include Big
as the chief executive officer. Sur, Carmel Valley, East Garrison, Moss Landing, Santa Rita,
Pajaro, San Ardo, Chualar, and Spreckels to name a few.
The Board adopts policies, establishes programs, appoints
non-elected department heads, and adopts annual bud- The Department of Emergency Management strives to pre-
gets for County departments. The Board also serves as the vent, protect, mitigate against, prepare for, respond, adapt
governing body for various special districts and agencies. to, and recover from the threats and hazards that pose the
The County is supported by a FY 2022-23 total budget of greatest risk to the County of Monterey residents, busi-
$1.8 billion and approximately 5,716 employees. nesses, and visitors. This includes natural disasters such as
earthquakes, fires, floods, landslides, tsunamis, dam failures,
public health emergencies as well as man-made incidents
involving large-scale/extended power outages and/or civil
unrest.

Additionally, the Department prepares and implements
numerous countywide Emergency Plans and oversees the
release of emergency preparedness education and informa-
tion to county residents, employees and community stake-
holders.