San Mateo County, California sent this bulletin at 01/19/2023 02:02 PM PST
Jan. 19, 2023
For Immediate Release
As Waters Rise, A Steady Hand
For Adam Ely, juggling a complex situation requires elaborate coordination and clear communication
Redwood City — As the first in a series of New Year’s storms battered the Bay Area – creeks rising, trees falling – Adam Ely’s job was wholly simple and eminently complex.
Ely, the County of San Mateo’s incident commander, had to ensure local disaster response machinerymoved in harmony with cities, the state, utilities, nonprofit service organizations and volunteer groups.
“The goal is to get the right people together at the right time to serve the people who need assistance. That’s the most basic function of all,” Ely said in an interview in the County’s Emergency Operations Center, or EOC, during a lull in the storms.
