Emergency management is ongoing work that takes place long before an emergency occurs. It includes planning, training, coordination and ensuring the necessary resources are available to support communities throughout San Bernardino County.
As part of the San Bernardino County Office of Emergency Services’ (OES) Behind the Ready campaign, the department is highlighting Robert Gonzales and Lauren Francisco, two team members who support emergency preparedness in different but equally important ways.
Behind the Ready: Robert Gonzales
Robert Gonzales, an emergency management officer with OES’ Planning, Training and Exercise Division, helps support training and exercises for first responders and emergency partners throughout the county.
These exercises give agencies the opportunity to test their plans, strengthen coordination, identify areas for improvement and better understand their roles during an emergency.
“The exercise piece of that is testing and refining plans that we have in place with all of those partners,” said Gonzales.
Emergency preparedness requires collaboration among local fire departments, water agencies, emergency managers, cities, community members and other partners.
“There’s a lot of behind-the-scenes collaboration that takes place,” said Gonzales. “That’s what we strive to do, is involve the whole community.”
Behind the Ready: Lauren Francisco
Lauren Francisco, a staff aide with OES’ Finance and Administration Division, helps ensure the department’s divisions have the funding and administrative support needed to move their programs forward.
Lauren works with staff across the department to help support the resources and services that strengthen emergency preparedness throughout San Bernardino County.
For Lauren, one of the most rewarding parts of her work is seeing people of all ages become more involved, and more confident in their emergency preparedness skills.
Together, Robert and Lauren represent two important parts of emergency management: building strong partnerships and providing the support needed to carry out preparedness efforts.
Their work reflects the many people behind San Bernardino County’s readiness, from those who plan and train to those who coordinate and support efforts to prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies.
Visit prepare.sbcounty.gov/behind-the-ready to learn more about emergency preparedness and the work happening Behind the Ready.
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