Behind the Ready: Service and coordination when it matters most

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Two County employees smile beside text reading “Emergency Management Awareness Month” and #BehindtheReadySBC. — *Celebrating Emergency Management Awareness Month and the dedicated teams keeping San Bernardino County prepared.*

As the San Bernardino County Office of Emergency Services’ (OES) Behind the Ready campaign comes to a close, the department is highlighting Anjila Lebsock and Joey Penuela, two team members whose work reflects the planning, coordination and commitment to service at the heart of emergency management.

Behind the Ready: Anjila Lebsock

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Anjila Lebsock, assistant director of emergency management, describes working in emergency management as having two full-time jobs: the “sunny day” and the “stormy day.”

On sunny days, Lebsock oversees department funding and grants that help support recovery, mitigation and prevention projects throughout the county. When emergencies occur, the work shifts to tracking costs and compiling information from across the Operational Area to help determine eligibility for state or federal recovery resources.

For Lebsock, emergency management ultimately comes down to helping communities through difficult moments.

“Emergency management, to me, is about helping people navigate their hardest moments,” said Lebsock.

That means preparing for events everyone hopes will never happen while being ready to coordinate resources, protect lives, stabilize communities and support long-term recovery.

“At its core, it’s service, coordination and compassion, guided by planning and learning from the past,” Lebsock said.

Behind the Ready: Joey Penuela

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Joey Penuela serves as an emergency management officer with OES, helping communities prepare before disasters happen, coordinating response efforts during emergencies and supporting recovery operations afterward.

For Penuela, serving the community is a continuation of a commitment that has been part of his life for decades.

“I served in the Marine Corps for 20 years,” said Penuela. “And that same commitment continues today within emergency management with the Office of Emergency Services.”

Knowing his work can make a difference in the lives of residents is what makes serving the community especially meaningful.

“Knowing that what I do has a positive impact on the community and can truly make a difference in people’s lives is something I really appreciate,” said Penuela.

Together, Lebsock and Penuela represent the work that takes place throughout the emergency management cycle: planning and preparing before an emergency, coordinating resources when an incident occurs and helping communities move toward recovery afterward.

Throughout Behind the Ready, OES has introduced some of the people whose work often happens behind the scenes but plays an important role in keeping San Bernardino County prepared. From planning and training to alerts, grants, logistics, response and recovery, each spotlight has shown a different piece of the larger emergency management system.

While the Behind the Ready campaign may be coming to an end, the work continues every day, building relationships, preparing communities and helping ensure San Bernardino County is ready for whatever comes next.

Visit https://prepare.sbcounty.gov/behind-the-ready/ to meet the OES team members featured throughout the series and learn more about the work happening Behind the Ready.

Behind the Ready: Anjila Lebsock

Behind the Ready: Joey Penuela

Additional County Update News – August 20, 2026