Bakersfield ASSP Chapter Meeting

Topic How Does Kern County Emergency Services Plan & Pre-Mitigate Disaster Events

This session will concentrate on Kern County’s focus on hazard mitigation and the County’s notification system by highlighting some significant capability improvements. The County will be initiating a process shortly to update the Kern County Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan, which requires update every 5 years and focuses on the important behind-the-scenes efforts to pre-mitigate impacts of disaster events. The process is more aligned with technical experts rather than our usual first responder stakeholders. Lastly, a few minutes will be set aside on disaster long-term recovery, specifically the Borel Fire recovery.

Speakers

Georgianna Armstrong, Kern County Emergency Services Manager

Georgianna Armstrong has served as the Kern County Emergency Services Manager since January 2005.  Prior to this appointment, she held the position of Kern County Emergency Planner for two years.

During her tenure, the Kern Operational Area has experienced multiple disaster events.  She served as the local lead for several emergency management exercises, the update or/creation of various emergency response plans, administers the Homeland Security Grant program, and manages the Kern County Emergency Operations Center. Before moving to Kern County, Ms. Armstrong worked in the private sector since 1984, in positions of administration and finance. Ms. Armstrong graduated with honors from UCLA, earning a Bachelors degree in Economics. 

Jolene Murillo, Assistant Emergency Services Manager for Kern County

Jolene Murillo has served as the Kern County Assistant Emergency Services Manager since March 2022. Prior to this, she worked as a Kern County Fire 911 Dispatcher for 10 years following multiple years as a part of the Emergency Medical Services within Kern County as an Emergency Medical Technician and a Paramedic.

As the County’s Assistant Emergency Services Manager, Jolene has grown her knowledge and experience during multiple Emergency Operation Center activations to support major incidents such as the 2023 March Storms that brought significant rain and potential devastating floods, as well as the 2024 Borel Fire that brought massive destruction to the Havilah Community and now sits as Kern County’s largest wildfire. She serves as the lead for the county’s alert and warning system that is responsible for sending out evacuation notices to Kern’s constituents and visitors, as well as serving as the lead to update the Kern County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan.

Jolene lives in Kern County with her family and looks forward to continuing her career in Emergency Management, and learning from the best, Georgianna Armstrong.

Registration

In Person Breakfast at Hodels from 7:00-8:45am. RSVP to membership@bakersfield.assp.org. 

$20 per person – Cash/Check/Credit/Debit (Member or Guest)
$10 ASSP Emeritus
$5 ASSP Student Members

Walk ins Welcome