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from other aqueducts to our local system if there are failures. Wastewater management will be key following a disaster, including sanitary sewer lines. Conceivably, there could be a delay of 30 days or longer to restore water service after a major earthquake. The first priority will be to restore water for firefighting; next will be hospitals and mass care facilities. EBMUD, San Francisco, and Contra Costa water agencies have interties for emergency water service. EBMUD is practicing local response plans in the event of a failure in the East Bay. Additionally, they train with the Los Angeles Department of Power and Water for reciprocal response in the event of a significant failure. Water utilities in the Bay Area have a written response guide for emergency drinking water procurement and distribution. Additionally, EBMUD has a $500,000 grant from the Super Urban Area Security Initiative (SUASI) for acquisition of a system to package and distribute drinking water following a disaster. Disaster Council members had questions regarding the distribution of emergency drinking water. The members also agreed that similar presentations from the other area utilities should be scheduled for future meetings. 4. Report on City Emergency Preparedness Actions Kathy Ornelas gave an overview of recent and on-going preparedness activities for City personnel. • An Emergency Operations Plan is under development. • Staff has attended a kick-off meeting for Regional Catastrophic Preparedness planning and will participate in whatever way is possible. • Staff will be attending a Bay Area -wide exercise for mass prophylactic distribution in March. • EOC personnel participated in two table -top training exercises in 2008. • The City Council, staff, and members of both School Districts participated in the California Department of Homeland Security's Public Officials Initiative training in November. • Half-day individual training sessions are being planned for 2009 for all of the EOC sections. • A team of 9 staff members, including the City Manager, will be attending earthquake management training at California Specialized Training Institute in April, and two members of the Finance/Administration Section of the EOC will be attending Disaster Recovery training in April. • Plans continue to create an EOC at the new Senior Community Center. • The news was shared that all programs in the Emergency Services budget, other than training for City personnel, may be cut from the budget. This would include elimination of the ARK program and the contract with Collaborating Agencies Responding to Disasters. 5. Public Comments Sabrina Almazon spoke on behalf of Four Paws Society on the importance of including preparedness plans and provisions for pets. 6. Disaster Council Member Comments (Roundtable) 2