Emergency Management

Plan Ahead for Evacuation

Maps are for planning ahead. They are not intended to be used in an emergency.

Find your zone. Public Safety officers will determine appropriate evacuation routes in an incident based on the situation. Zone maps show multiple ways out in an emergency. Provide feedback on your zone map, or to request help understanding it.

• SCZ-001(PDF, 2MB)
• SCZ-002(PDF, 3MB)
• SCZ-003(PDF, 3MB)
• SCZ-004(PDF, 3MB)
• SCZ-005(PDF, 3MB)
• SCZ-006
• SCZ-007(PDF, 2MB)
• SCZ-008(PDF, 3MB)
• SCZ-009(PDF, 3MB)
• SCZ-010(PDF, 3MB)
• SCZ-011(PDF, 3MB)
• SCZ-012(PDF, 3MB)
• SCZ-013(PDF, 3MB)
• SCZ-014(PDF, 3MB)
• SCZ-015(PDF, 3MB)
• SCZ-016(PDF, 3MB)
• SCZ-017(PDF, 3MB)
• SCZ-018(PDF, 3MB)
• SCZ-019(PDF, 3MB)
• SCZ-020(PDF, 3MB)
• SCZ-021(PDF, 3MB)
• SCZ-022(PDF, 3MB)
• SCZ-023(PDF, 3MB)
• SCZ-024(PDF, 3MB)
• SCZ-025(PDF, 3MB)
• SCZ-026(PDF, 2MB)
• SCZ-027(PDF, 2MB)
• SCZ-028(PDF, 2MB)
• SCZ-029(PDF, 3MB)
• SCZ-030(PDF, 2MB)
• SCZ-031(PDF, 2MB)

1. Enter your Address to find your Zone
2. Download your Zone Map
3. Register to receive alerts
4. Know multiple ways out of your neighborhood
5. Talk with your family and neighbors. Plan Ahead to Leave Early

The EOP is the City of Santa Cruz's official framework for preparing for, responding to, recovering from, and mitigating emergencies and disasters. It assigns roles and responsibilities,establishescoordination structures, and guides decision-making when normal operations are disrupted. The plan applies to all City departments and partner agencies and is organized into a Base Plan, functional and hazard-specific annexes, and appendices.

The EOP ensures theCitycan respond efficiently and effectively to any hazard — natural or human-caused. It coordinates action across City departments, partner agencies, and neighboringjurisdictions; supports access to state and federal resources; and helps protect lives, property, infrastructure, and the environment.

The plan activates when an incident exceeds routine operations or when the City Manager or Fire Chief authorizes a coordinated emergency response. Activation may be partial or full depending on the scale of the event.

The EOC is the central location where City leaders, planners, and partner agencies collect information, set priorities, and coordinate resources during an emergency. It is not the scene of field response — it is where decisions are made and support is organized. TheCityuses the Incident Command System (ICS) and EOC structure to assign clear roles so every unit knows its mission.

The EOPcomplies withCalifornia's Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS), which is required by state law (Gov. Code §8607), and with the federal National Incident Management System (NIMS). It also aligns with FEMA's Comprehensive Preparedness Guide (CPG 101) and the Santa Cruz County Operational Area Emergency Operations Plan. This alignment ensures eligibility for state and federal disaster funding andfacilitatesmutual aid.

The EOP serves as the operational link among the City's General Plan, Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP), Climate Action Plan, Continuity of Operations Plans (COOPs), and departmental emergency procedures. Hazard-specific annexes and protocols are published alongside the EOP and linked within it for quick access during an emergency.

Emergency operations prioritize life safety and arecarried outin a manner that addresses the needs of historically underserved and marginalized residents. The plan incorporates Access and Functional Needs (AFN) considerations — including people with disabilities, limited Englishproficiency, older adults, children, unhoused residents, and those with limited transportation — across evacuation, sheltering, communications, and recovery operations. ADA compliance and non-discrimination requirements apply throughout.

Departments follow the roles, checklists, and coordination pathways assigned in the plan tocarry outessential functions during an incident. They contribute to updating functional annexes,identifyingresources and capabilities, andmaintainingstaff readiness. Departmentalbuy-inis essential for a realistic, usable plan.

The City's Office of Emergency Services (OES), within the Fire Department, leads the maintenance process. The EOP is reviewed annually and comprehensively updated on a five-year cycle. Updates incorporate lessons learned from real incidents and exercises, current risk assessments, changes in staffing and technology, and input from all departments and community partners. Draft versions are circulated to all departments and City leadership for review and comment.

The City will conduct training, exercises, and briefings to familiarize staff with the plan. Departments are expected to revise internal procedures to align with the updated EOP. The plan will be published internally via Teams/SharePoint, with key sections available publicly for transparency and community preparedness.

Contact the City's Emergency Services Manager, Meredith Albert, at Malbert@santacruzca.gov, or your department's designated EOP planning liaison.