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 Tony Lacy, a Human Services Analyst with Individual Assistance under the Recovery Directorate. The work he does helps Californians get on the road to recovery following a disaster by coordinating with local, state, and federal partners to open Local Assistance Centers (LAC) and Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC).
“The most satisfying part of this job is an actual connection with someone who has suffered from a disaster. Often we are in the office and we see it from afar,” Tony said. “Working in a DRC or a LAC allows you to connect with people to the point where, in some cases, I have held people while they are crying to try to help them get through what, arguably, may be the toughest time of their life.”
Tony believes that preparedness is a lifestyle, and he values his job at Cal OES because the agency represents that for the state of California.