County Departments Participate in Catastrophic Earthquake Plan Seminar
March 4, 2026
A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck on the San Jacinto Fault. There have been reports of infrastructure damage, limited cellular communications, and vehicle collisions across the region from Riverside to Indio. That was just part of the scenario leadership from Riverside County departments were faced with during Wednesday’s tabletop exercise. Led by the county’s Emergency Management Department (EMD), the exercise was designed to inspire conversation among the departments while reviewing emergency plans for everything ranging from communications failures, fuel distribution to employee mobilization, this exercise is one example of our efforts to ensure readiness for disasters.
By participating in discussions around various disasters we are able to analyze existing plans, identify areas for improvement and improve existing plans. One of the topics that was discussed in depth was how to communicate with employees and stakeholders if various communication platforms are impacted and unavailable. If employees are unable to contact their offices and staff there are mobilization plans designed to give employees a place to report so that important disaster response and recovery can begin with minimal delay.
The county routinely takes steps to ensure we are ready to respond to the disasters we may face but one of the most important elements in a resilient Riverside County is the readiness of our residents. Any disaster will require time to stabilize and address the needs of our communities. All residents should be able to sustain their households for three to seven days. Have a plan, make a plan and prepare now for emergencies. Find preparedness tips at RivCoReady.org.
