HCSD — Standard Operating Procedures

349.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE

Hartwell County is located near the Pacific Ocean. This policy is intended to provide all members of the Hartwell County Sheriff’s Department (HCSD) with information and response guidelines related to tsunamis.

349.1.1 DEFINITIONS

Definitions related to this policy are intended to be consistent with 2026 and forward guidance of the National Tsunami Warning Center (NTWC) and include:

Tsunami — A series of water surges, usually caused by an earthquake under the sea floor.

Tsunamis may result in destructive flooding of vulnerable coastal areas.

Tsunami Hazard Areas — Those areas designated as at-risk for inundation on Tsunami Hazard Area maps published by the California Geological Survey. These maps use yellow colors to identify hazard areas representing a worst-case intrusion of big tsunami surges. The maps' green-colored areas show areas of safety where tsunamis are extremely unlikely to penetrate. Anyone in green areas should not have to move further inland because of an earthquake.

Near-source tsunami (or "local tsunami") – A tsunami likely to arrive in an hour or less (could be as quick as 10 minutes). Caused by a quake or event from one to 62 miles away, this type has killed the most people of all tsunamis studied around the Pacific.

Regional tsunami — A tsunami expected to arrive in one to three hours, typically caused by a quake or event 62-621 miles away.

Distant-source tsunami (or "distant tsunami") – A tsunami expected to arrive in three to eight hours, typically caused by a quake or event of 621 to thousands of miles away.

Tsunami Warning — A NTWC notification that a tsunami is happening or about to happen, and dangerous coastal flooding & powerful currents are possible. This is the most serious level of tsunami notification messaging. A Warning may be downgraded or canceled.

Tsunami Advisory — A NTWC notification that a tsunami event may produce strong currents and waves that may be dangerous to people in or very near the water. An Advisory may be upgraded to a Warning or canceled.

Tsunami Watch — A NTWC notification that a distant earthquake has occurred, and tsunami surges hitting the Hartwell coastline are possible, but not yet confirmed. A Watch may be upgraded to an Advisory or a Warning or canceled.

Tsunami Information Statement — A NTWC message issued when an earthquake or tsunami of interest has occurred. In most cases, there is no threat of a destructive tsunami and no need to initiate local evacuations. In some cases, after updated information and analysis, information statements for distant events may be upgraded to a Watch, Advisory, or Warning.

Cancellation — A NTWC message that a destructive tsunami will not impact an area, or that a tsunami has diminished and is not expected to cause additional damage.

349.1.2 BACKGROUND

The North Coast is the most earthquake-prone region in the contiguous United States. Very powerful local earthquakes, on- or off-shore, can occur at any time. A catastrophic quake could produce several minutes of destructive ground shaking, buckle roadways, disrupt communications, and trigger a series of devastating tsunami surges that arrive within minutes and continue for hours. A separate but related risk is powerful regional- or distant-source tsunami surges inundating our coastline from an undersea earthquake or landslide occurring hundreds or thousands of miles away.

When strong tsunami surges arrive on land, especially from local quakes, they can quickly overtake people and vehicles, inflicting injury, death, and destroying property. Any member of this Office (and their vehicle and equipment) lost to a tsunami would complicate the immediate response and reduce effectiveness of the longer-term response. It is therefore unreasonable for members of this Office to deliberately enter or unnecessarily remain in a tsunami hazard area when there is a reasonable perception that a strong tsunami may be arriving within an hour. (Guidance regarding "reasonable perception" is found in the Policy section immediately below.)

349.2 POLICY

349.2.1 WHEN TO AVOID TSUNAMI HAZARD AREAS

It is the policy of the Hartwell County Sheriff’s Department to avoid intentionally deploying into or keeping its members within tsunami hazard areas when there is a reasonable perception that surges of a strong tsunami may arrive in less than one hour.

349.2.2 REASONABLE PERCEPTION OF TSUNAMI RISK

Factors supporting reasonable perception include, but are not limited to, being in the area shaded yellow in current Tsunami Hazard Area maps published by the California Geological Survey (also saved to the County Share drive within Sheriff/OES Activations) after:

• Experiencing one full minute or more of ground shaking.
• Observing one surge come in and go out, a rapidly receding or receded shoreline, unusual waves and sounds, strong currents, water moving rapidly out to sea, a gentle rising tide-like flood with no breaking wave, a series of breaking waves or a frothy wall of water; and/or receiving reliable real-time reports of surges inundating nearby areas.
• Reception of an official Tsunami Warning issued by the NTWC with an estimated time of arrival (ETA) of the first surges to reach the Hartwell shore in less than one hour, unless HCSD incident leadership determines that local deviation from NTWC Warning guidance is reasonable and appropriate (refer § 350.2.4).

Members perceiving any of the factors described in subsections (a) or (b) above should not wait for an official warning message originating from the NTWC before moving out of hazard areas.

Anyone located in an area shaded green on the Tsunami Hazard Area maps published by the California Geological Survey should not be reasonably perceived to be at risk from a tsunami.

349.2.3 ORIGINATING RESOURCE FOR TSUNAMI INFORMATION

When seeking current governmental data-driven information about tsunami events potentially affecting the Hartwell coastline, the definitive originating resource should be the National Tsunami Warning Center (NTWC) in Alaska, tsunami.gov.

The NTWC has sometimes issued strongly-worded Warnings to overly broad geographic areas.

349.2.4 ADDITIONAL CREDIBLE SOURCES OF INFORMATION

To interpret and reasonably apply NTWC information locally, authorized HCSD and Hartwell County Office of Emergency services (HarCo OES) members may consider the analysis and opinions of knowledgeable government professionals such as:

• Eureka- or California-based members of the National Weather Service (NWS).
• California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) Seismic Hazards members.
• California Geological Survey members.

After considering information from credible sources such as those listed above, HCSD incident response leaders may deviate from NTWC guidance as reasonable for the perceived situation.

349.2.5 "T-MINUS" CONCEPT

A "T-Minus" approach may be used to describe the local ETA of the first tsunami surges in a Tsunami Warning situation. Information should be regularly updated or repeated as new information is received and/or conditions change.

• HCSD incident leadership, supported by HarCo OES, is responsible for setting and updating the ETA used for a "T-Minus" approach, based upon consideration of information from the NTWC and credible government sources (§ 350.2.4).
• At "T-Minus One Hour", all members should be ordered to withdraw from tsunami hazard areas.
• The ETA and "T-Minus" times may be updated as new information is received.

349.2.6 AREA CLOSURES, EVACUATION ORDERS, AND “ALL CLEAR”

DETERMINATION Although the NTWC issues and cancels official Tsunami Warnings and Advisories, it is normally the responsibility of the agency of geographic jurisdiction (e.g., special district, city, county, state, tribal, or federal governmental organization responsible for affected land in the Hartwell OA) to determine when:

• An area should be closed to the public.
• An Evacuation Order should be given to civilians to leave an area.
• Government responders should be ordered to leave an area.
• It is "all clear" for government responders to enter or re-enter a closed area.
• A civilian Evacuation Order should be lifted.
• Civilians should be permitted to enter or re-enter closed tsunami hazard areas.

The Sheriff, supported by HCSD incident leadership and HarCo OES, should be the authority for the above determinations in areas where HCSD has primary geographic jurisdiction.

Media access to closed areas should be managed in accordance with the guidance of Media Relations Policy 323.

349.2.7 EVACUATION PATROLS

HCSD members may be temporarily deployed into tsunami hazard areas to promote timely civilian evacuation as follows:

• When a regional- or distant-source Tsunami Warning event is predicted to bring land-inundating surges arriving no sooner than two to three hours.
• Use of sirens set to "Hi-Lo" (Vehicle Code § 27002) may be authorized in Tsunami Warning situation patrols.
• In a Tsunami Warning, all members of HCSD and assisting entities should withdraw to safe areas at least one hour prior to the projected ETA of the first surges.
• In a Tsunami Advisory, patrols may be initiated but should focus on beaches and waterfront areas. Strong waves and dangerous currents are likely. When the ETA indicates first surges will arrive in less than an hour, members should stay out of the water, upslope from the ocean, and off docks, piers, or vessels in the water. The use of "Hi-Lo" sirens is generally not appropriate for Advisory situations.
• In a Tsunami Watch, evacuation patrols should not be initiated.
• Consideration may be given to known populations of individuals (e.g., homeless, children, those over 60) that may find it challenging to evacuate from hazard areas.

349.2.8 GEOGRAPHIC SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT

• When a Tsunami Warning, roadway damage, and/or other hazards result in "isolated islands" of people separated from one another, HCSD members may be authorized to work in the safe areas they are currently in or can reasonably reach.
• When the ETA of first surges in a Tsunami Warning situation reasonably allows time to do so, HCSD incident leadership may direct the pre-positioning of resources to specific areas before surges arrive and create "isolated islands" of people.

349.2.9 RESPONSE PRIORITIES

Field response priorities for the first hours and days after a destructive tsunami (and/or earthquake) are:

• Protecting/preserving human life;
• Stabilizing hazardous emergency incidents;
• Stabilizing and protecting community lifelines, critical infrastructure, key resources;
• Protecting: property; cultural and historical resources; and, the environment; and,
• Reporting impacts from the tsunami/earthquake to HarCo OES.

349.2.10 EMERGENCY ASSIGNMENTS

Members may, if reasonably able, be assigned to emergency duties and activities consistent with applicable provisions of policy, code, and law.

349.3 RECEIVING AND SHARING WARNING INFORMATION

349.3.1 WARNING RECEPTION PATHWAYS

Tsunami Warnings originating from the NTWC may be received by members via various pathways, including but not limited to:

• The National Warning System (NAWAS) telephone landline at the HCSD Dispatch.
• Cal OES Statewide Warning Center (CSWC) phone calls, faxes, and/or California Law Enforcement Teletype System (CLETS) teletypes.
• Federal alerting systems such as Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs), Emergency Alert System (EAS) TV/radio messages, and NOAA Weather Radio (NWR).
• Local alert and warning pathways such as HarCo OES phone, text, and email messages sent via Hartwell ALERT systems.
• Official National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) sources such as the NTWC website tsunami.gov or communication from Eureka Weather Forecast Office (WFO) of the National Weather Service (NWS).
• Reliable HCSD and HarCo OES members relaying official NTWC Warnings.

349.3.2 SHARING NEAR- OR REGIONAL-SOURCE TSUNAMI WARNINGS WITHIN

HCSD Members receiving NTWC near- or regional-source Tsunami Warnings should ensure that critical Warning information (e.g., NTWC forecasted ETA of first surges at coastal Hartwell locations) has been promptly received by:

• The sworn on-duty Shift Supervisor for field operations.
• All on-duty HCSD members who may be currently deployed in or traveling into tsunami hazard areas.
• On-duty members of HarCo OES (or after-hours, the on-call member).
• The weekly Duty Officer (who should then notify the Undersheriff and Sheriff to establish the HCSD leadership for the incident).
• The Sheriff's on-duty or on-call Public Information Officer (PIO).

349.3.3 SHARING DISTANT-SOURCE TSUNAMI WARNINGS WITHIN HCSD

Members receiving NTWC distant source Warnings should ensure that current Warning information (e.g., ETA of first surges at Hartwell coast) has been promptly received by:

• On-duty members of HarCo OES (or after-hours, the on-call member). HarCo OES should carry out subsequent notifications to the Duty Officerthe Undersheriff, Sheriff, and the PIO. An HCSD leadership structure for the incident should be established during these notifications.
• The sworn on-duty Shift Supervisor for field operations for situational awareness.

349.4 DURING PROLONGED LOCAL SHAKING

349.4.1 DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON

Members who feel significant ground shaking should stay in one place, drop down to the floor, move under a sturdy piece of furniture, and hold on until the shaking stops.

349.4.2 TRACK OR ESTIMATE HOW LONG THE SHAKING LASTS

Members should, if they reasonably can, gauge how long the shaking lasted by using a watch or counting the seconds as they pass.

349.4.3 SEVERITY INCREASES WITH ELAPSED TIME OF SHAKING

Duration is the best indicator of the earthquake's likely magnitude and its tsunami-generating potential. The longer the shaking continues, infrastructure damage and the arrival of destructive tsunami surges become more likely. The 2011 Tohoku Great East Japan Earthquake caused six minutes of shaking, severe damage, and devastating tsunami surges onto nearby coastlines.

349.5 AFTER THE SHAKING OR TSUNAMI NOTIFICATION

349.5.1 MEMBERS RESPONSIBILITIES

• All HCSD members should seek to initially determine, then consider for the duration of the response, if a reasonable perception exists that the first surges of a destructive tsunami may arrive within 10 minutes to one hour (refer § 350.2).

1. When a powerful earthquake produces prolonged (one minute or longer) local shaking, all members should expect that destructive surges from a near-source tsunami will arrive in as little as 10 minutes and immediately get out and stay out of tsunami hazard areas until they receive official information (e.g., continuing Warning, Warning is downgraded to Advisory or cancelled).
2. Members who perceive unusually-long periods of shaking but who are unsure of the shaking's duration should not hesitate to evacuate tsunami hazard areas. Preparedness guidance for the public encourages this behavior ("When in doubt, drill it out!"); erring on the side of caution may save members' lives.
3. Members who see a tsunami surge come in and recede should NOT move closer to the ocean or remain within a tsunami hazard area. Multiple surges are likely to occur, and the first surge is NOT the biggest. People watching the first or second surge have been killed by the third.

• When a NTWC Tsunami Warning indicates that surges will be arriving within one hour, members should immediately leave tsunami hazard areas, unless HCSD incident leadership finds that information from other credible sources (§ 350.2.4) indicates an alternate approach for the local situation is reasonable and justified.

1. Members should expect that an NTWC Tsunami Warning may continue for hours (or even days) before cancellation.
2. In a Tsunami Warning situation, members should consider leaving tsunami hazard areas on foot because traffic gridlock and/or damaged roadways are possible. If these or other factors interfere with vehicle travel, members should go on foot, moving inland, upslope, and/or higher in elevation. If evacuation appears impossible, members should go to the top floor of a sturdy building or climb a tree, but only as a last resort.
3. In a Tsunami Warning, if time and conditions reasonably allow, members may move HCSD vehicles and vessels inland, out of hazard areas.
4. In a Tsunami Warning, members operating vessels should generally seek to rapidly evacuate tsunami hazard areas by motoring inland, away from the coast. Heading to the open ocean is not recommended unless there is plenty of time to reach deep waters (30 fathoms or more) before the first surges arrive, and the vessel and crew are prepared to stay out in the ocean for hours or even days. Obstacles and damage to ports should be expected.

• In a Tsunami Advisory situation, members should stay out of the water, and away from beaches and waterways. They should also follow the steps described in the Tsunami Watch situation subsection immediately below.
• In a Tsunami Watch situation, members should access and recheck tsunami hazard area maps, review their evacuation routes, and be ready to act quickly if the hazard escalates to a Tsunami Warning situation.
• Members should expect strong aftershocks in the hours and days after a big quake. On rare occasions, a moderate to large earthquake can be followed by an even larger quake.
• Members should expect and engage in the use of the Incident Command System (ICS) during multi-agency response to a tsunami event. Refer ICS Policy 401.
• All members should maintain: current understanding of earthquake and tsunami hazards; awareness of tsunami hazard areas; and, familiarity with preparedness and response procedures for both on-duty and off-duty incidents.

349.5.2 SUPERVISOR RESPONSIBILITIES

• Supervisors should follow, as applicable, the guidelines for all members, § 350.5.1.
• Supervisors should assume appropriate leadership roles when an earthquake and/ or tsunami event occurs. Supervisors should ensure that every member has one supervisor for the incident, and that all supervisors track their subordinates.
• Supervisors should seek current situation assessment information and response posture updates from HCSD incident leadership, supported by HarCo OES. This guidance may include interpretation and local application of information issued by the NTWC tsunami.gov and other credible government sources (§ 350.2.4).
• Supervisors should ensure that pertinent information is passed on to members in the field.
• Supervisors should coordinate and verbally communicate with their subordinates and the HCSD Dispatch regarding geographic special assignment and the permission and timing of members evacuating from, deploying into, passing through, remaining in, or staying out of tsunami hazard areas. Guidance should include when and where travel is authorized on roads and highways in hazard areas.
• Supervisors should, when reasonable and appropriate, order subordinates to get out and/or stay out of tsunami hazard areas.
• Supervisors may assign, as reasonable and appropriate, trained and equipped members to activities intended to reduce the numbers of people in tsunami hazard areas. Activities outside tsunami hazard areas could include, but are not limited to, roadblocks, traffic control, and verbal advisements.
• Supervisors should support the use of ICS and related doctrine (e.g., Unified Command, Area Command) to effectively manage responses across multiple separate incidents, agencies, and jurisdictions (Refer ICS Policy 401).

349.5.3 MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

• HCSD Managers should follow, as applicable, the guidelines for all members (§ 350.5.1) and supervisors (§ 350.5.2).
• Managers should ensure that an effective HCSD incident response leadership structure, consistent with ICS doctrine, is established in a timely manner. Leaders should be clearly identified by their name and assignment for the incident. Some approaches for organizing and managing the response to a complex emergency situation or large-area disaster, including use of Unified Command and/or Area Command, are summarized in ICS Policy 401.
• Managers should support the Sheriff, who as per County Code, is the Director of Emergency Services for the County of Hartwell Operational Area. As Director, the Sheriff has legal powers, authorities, and responsibilities, including controlling and directing the efforts of the county emergency organization. The Sheriff may serve as "OA Command", providing overall leadership and direction.
• Managers should ensure that a close relationship of communication and coordination is maintained between HCSD incident leadership and HarCo OES. The HCSD Duty Officer/Watch Commander or other designated leader may be physically embedded in the Hartwell OA EOC.
• Managers should ensure that interagency communication and response coordination is established with key local entities, such as the Cal Fire Emergency Command Center and the Fire and Rescue Coordinator for the Hartwell OA.
• In accordance with current procedures, the Sheriff and/or authorized managers may review and approve County of Hartwell emergency public information products including alerts, warnings, notifications, and orders.

349.5.4 SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY SERVICES RESPONSIBILITIES

When a powerful earthquake produces prolonged (one minute or longer) local shaking, and/or the NTWC issues a Tsunami Warning, members of HarCo OES should, as reasonable and practicable for the circumstances:

• Activate and staff the EOC for a Tsunami Warning (the EOC activation level for a lesser hazard notification depends on situational factors).
• Monitor, receive, and analyze pertinent information and emergency notifications from credible government sources and/or members including but not limited to the :
• National Tsunami Warning Center (NTWC) in Alaska.
• National Weather Service (NWS) Eureka Weather Forecast Office (WFO).
• Cal OES California State Warning Center (CSWC) near Sacramento.
• Cal OES Seismic Hazards Branch.
• California Geological Survey.
• Connect with HCSD incident leadership; welcome assigned HCSD leader to EOC.
• Establish communication and coordination with the NWS Eureka WFO.
• Establish communication and coordination with HCSD incident leadership, dispatchers in the HCSD Dispatch, and the HCSD PIO.
• Prepare and issue alerts, warnings, notifications, orders, and other emergency public information communication products as appropriate for the situation and in accordance with current review and approval procedures.
• Prepare and issue hazard reduction and/or cancellation messaging via appropriate platforms and pathways. This may include issuing cancellations based on updated federal tsunami authority information if that authority does not cancel their own past Warnings, Advisories, and/or Watches in the same pathways they were first sent.
• Establish and maintain communication and coordination with HCSD incident leadership and key partner entities across the Hartwell Operational Area (OA), promoting a unified and coordinated response and consistent public messaging.
• Collect, analyze, and share information/intelligence including reported impacts, ongoing or projected hazards, potential impacts, and populations at risk. Develop and periodically update informational reports about the situation.
• Regularly share information with County leaders, OA partner entities, and Cal OES.
• Consistent with the California Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS), represent the Hartwell County OA, serving as the coordination and communication link between the Local Government Level and the Regional Level.
• Support resource-sharing, resource requesting, transportation, evacuation/mass care/ shelter, and other operational needs as appropriate.

349.6 TSUNAMI PUBLIC INFORMATION PROCESSES

349.6.1 OFFICIAL DETERMINATION OF TSUNAMI RISK CLASSIFICATION

• Powerful undersea earthquakes and other events that may produce a tsunami impacting Hartwell should be quickly detected by the NTWC in Palmer, Alaska.
• The NTWC should analyze the preliminary earthquake information (location, depth, and magnitude) received from seismic networks available within the first few minutes after a quake.
• Within about 5-15 minutes, the NTWC should make an initial determination of tsunami risk and may assign an initial classification level for the situation, such as Tsunami Warning, Advisory, Watch, or Information Statement.
• Subsequent NTWC messages and alerts are based on impact estimation resulting from sources such as seismic analysis, water-level measurements, tsunami forecast model results, and historical tsunami information.
• Recent NTWC messages should be posted to a matrix on tsunami.gov and also sent directly to selected government entities and officials, including the CSWC.

349.6.2 CRITERIA FOR NTWC TO DIRECTLY MESSAGE THE PUBLIC

As of 2025, direct notification from the NTWC to the general public is generally limited to Tsunami Warning or Advisory situations.

• As of 2025, Tsunami Warnings are typically issued following Pacific Ocean coastal earthquakes magnitude 7.1 or greater.
• Tsunami height also affects alert selection. As of 2025, the NTWC generally issues a Tsunami Warning if the forecast or observed tsunami surge height exceeds one meter (3.3 feet) or the impact is unknown, and a Tsunami Advisory if the forecast surge height is between one foot and one meter or the observed height is between one-half and one meter.
• Projected tsunami surge height exceeding one meter on one small piece of shoreline may result in NTWC classifying miles and miles of the adjacent county coast as being in a Tsunami Warning situation.

The NTWC may then initiate direct public notification as described in the subsection below.

349.6.3 NTWC PUBLIC ALERT, WARNING, AND NOTIFICATION PATHWAYS

The NTWC may initiate direct public notifications through federal alerting pathways of the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) including:

• Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) sent through North Coast cell towers to cell phones and mobile devices.
• Emergency Alert System (EAS) recorded voice messages and text scrolling on television screens and on radio stations.
• NOAA All-Hazards Weather Radio broadcasts.
• NOAA/National Weather Service internet-based platforms and applications. Indirectly, secondary public alerting may be triggered by new NTWC messaging because private party automated systems may detect and forward NTWC messaging to other publicly-monitored sources and platforms.

349.6.4 ADDITIONAL FEDERAL NOTIFICATION PATHWAYS

• The Coast Guard Sector Hartwell Bay may make radio broadcasts to vessels on marine frequencies.
• The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) may initiate radio broadcasts to pilots intending to use coastal airports. Notices to Air Missions (NOTAMs) may be used. County of Hartwell Aviation members may assist in initiating these efforts.

349.6.5 STATE NOTIFICATION PATHWAYS

• Cal OES staff at the CSWC may issue local emergency messaging indirectly to the public through information sent to county warning points for dissemination, or directly to the public via authorized federal pathways including WEA and EAS.
• The CSWC has the capability of requesting activation of the federal Civil Air Patrol (if time and conditions reasonably permit) for deployment of fixed-wing aircraft with loudspeakers broadcasting short audible emergency messages intended to be loud and reasonably clear to people below them on an isolated coastline or beach. Such messaging could be appropriate in any tsunami event when surges are expected.
• The Caltrans District 1 Transportation Management Center (TMC) may be able to post emergency messages on electronic Changeable Message Signs (CMS) above local freeways. Coordination may be required from the California Highway Patrol's Emergency Notification and Tactical Alert Center (ENTAC) in Sacramento.
• State entities responsible for coastal lands may use word-of-mouth, post signs, and close roads and trails into tsunami hazard areas.
• Cal Poly Hartwell and College of the Redwoods have some of the approaches described in the next subsection, Tribal and Local Notification Pathways.

349.6.6 TRIBAL AND LOCAL ENTITY NOTIFICATION PATHWAYS

Tribes and local government entities in Hartwell County may issue emergency messaging to the public in various ways. Each has different capabilities, and many organizations have an alert and warning platform for their own audiences. Members of the public may receive messages from more than one entity. Consistent messaging is critical. Some of the methods and pathways described in the next two subsections may be adapted by partner entities.

349.6.7 SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT NOTIFICATION PATHWAYS IN SAFE AREAS

Outside tsunami hazard areas, HarCo OES and other HCSD members may consider the following activities and pathways to prepare and disseminate emergency public information:

• Monitoring and analyzing current information originating from the NTWC, including alerts, warnings, notifications, statements, and cancellations. As reasonable on appropriate platforms, content from these products may be forwarded to the public.
• Changing the status of zones in hazard areas on the Genasys Protect platform.
• Using the Hartwell ALERT internet-based mass notification platform to message the public via automated: voice calls to landline or mobile phone numbers; text messages; emails; and TDD/TDY (for hearing-impaired people).
• Issuing news flashes, posting notifications to social media and websites, and enabling RSS feeds.
• Encouraging partner entities to electronically redistribute official federal, state, and/or HarCo OES messaging to their own audiences.
• Issuing press releases, holding press conferences or media interviews, or arranging for an official to go live on local TV, radio, or streaming platform.

349.6.8 SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT NOTIFICATION PATHWAYS IN HAZARD AREAS

Within tsunami hazard areas, only when there is a reasonable perception that damaging tsunami surges are not expected for well over an hour, members may be authorized to temporarily deploy into tsunami hazard areas where they may communicate emergency public information, such as:

• Closing coastal-access roads, trails, and posting signs.
• Door-to-door and face-to-face notifications by HCSD members and/or by partner entity personnel.
• Use of bullhorns or mobile public address speakers.
• Patrolling with a Hi-Lo siren as an alert & warning signal to evacuate.

349.6.9 TSUNAMI SIRENS

As of 2026, the County of Hartwell is not responsible for the installation, maintenance, or operation of fixed tsunami warning sirens. Other entities may operate warning sirens in some areas, but members should not assume they will function as intended when a warning is issued. No one should wait to hear a siren before concluding that an unfolding situation is serious enough to initiate evacuations or other protective actions. Nevertheless, when a siren is sounding, members should consider why, especially if they are in a tsunami hazard area.

349.6.10 MANAGING TOTAL VOLUME AND PATHWAYS OF MESSAGES

HarCo OES and its partners in the Hartwell OA should seek to support one another through coordinated and consistent public messaging.

Consideration should be given to the total number and frequency of urgent emergency messages received by targeted populations and the possibility that some recipients could become so fatigued with intrusive alert and warning messages that they disregard some important government communication (or turn off notification features completely).

Public information managers should seek to reasonably manage the total volume, frequency, and delivery pathways of different messages so that people are adequately and accurately informed but not overwhelmed.

349.6.11 TSUNAMI WARNING CANCELLATION OR REDUCTION

• The NTWC may not announce the cancellation or reduction of their own past Warnings, Advisories, and/or Watches on all of the same public notification pathways that they were originally disseminated (e.g., the NTWC may have issued a public Tsunami Warning via WEA but not the subsequent Cancellation).
• HarCo OES should seek coordination with the NWS Eureka WFO regarding local public information efforts and activities.
• Reasonably soon after HarCo OES receives reliable information of NTWC cancellation or reduction of its tsunami messages, that information should be shared with OA partners and the public via appropriate pathways.

349.7 PUBLIC EDUCATION AND PREPAREDNESS RESOURCES

All members are encouraged to regularly review, consider, apply, and share public information found in emergency preparedness programs and products from reputable government-aligned sources. Such sources and products include, but are not limited to:

• Redwood Coast Tsunami Work Group and current Living on Shaky Ground magazine.
• California Geological Survey and its Earthquakes and Tsunami Maps webpages.
• The National Weather Service and its Tsunami Safety webpages.
• The NOAA and its National Weather Service Tsunami Warning System website.