Over the past several years, the state has experienced an unprecedented number of emergencies and disasters. As these climate-driven natural disasters become more severe in California, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) staff has met each new challenge head-on.
The nearly 2,000 staff at Cal OES have responded to increasingly complex disasters in fresh and innovative ways, strengthening the foundation of emergency management to prepare for, respond to and recover from all types of emergencies and disasters.
This week, Cal OES welcomes you to learn more about Holly Lendl, an Emergency Notification Controller at the California State Warning Center. Her duties include monitoring California for disaster-related impacts or new emergency situations, including wildfires, mass shootings, train derailments, power outages and more. She also watches and notifies outside agencies about inclement weather and hazardous releases.
The California State Warning Center serves as the central intelligence hub for statewide emergency communications and notifications. Serving as a highly reliable and accurate “one-stop” resource for emergency management, law enforcement, fire, and key decision-making personnel throughout the state. The center is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week watching over California to identify potential and emerging threats, provide alert notification to all levels of government as well as critical situational awareness during an emergency or disaster.
“It’s definitely a refreshing feeling knowing that I’m doing something bigger than myself every day when I come into work,” Holly said.
Holly is passionate about helping California, while discovering the different agencies and internal departments that Cal OES has that respond and report on emergencies. She is eager to share her knowledge with new team members. She previously worked for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice as a Correctional Officer before joining Cal OES just over one year ago.