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About the Department

The San Mateo County San Mateo County Emergency Management (SMC EM) is not your typical government agency. We operate more like a startup within the public sector – building innovative programs, forging cross-sector partnerships, and redefining what modern emergency management looks like for a county of 775,000 residents across 20 cities and 18 unincorporated areas.

Our mission is to advance community resilience through a proactive and comprehensive approach to emergency management, involving the whole community in every phase of preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery.

To learn more about SMC EM, visit: https://www.smcgov.org/dem

 

About the Role

This is not a desk job. This is not a new position we are trying to figure out. And this is not a role where you sit behind a screen waiting for the next alert to go out.

For over a year, SMC EM has been deliberately building a countywide Alert and Warning (A&W) program that brings coherence, consistency, and credibility to how San Mateo County communicates with the public before, during, and after emergencies. We have developed training curricula, created frameworks, established partnerships, and advanced the conversation across the Operational Area. Now we need someone to carry that work forward – externally.

The Alert and Warning Coordinator is fundamentally an external-facing role. There are 32 agencies within the San Mateo County Operational Area that hold alerting authority and sending rights. Each has its own protocols, staffing models, and levels of experience with alert and warning systems. Your job is to be the connective tissue—socializing our approach to A&W with operational area partners, building alignment across jurisdictions, and ensuring that when an alert goes out in this county, it is timely, accurate, actionable, and drives protective action.

You will brief city councils, law and fire chiefs with equal confidence. You will sit with an Incident Commander during a fast-moving wildfire and translate urgency into a message that saves lives. You will train authorized users on alerting platforms and hold the line on quality when others want to cut corners. And you will do all of this while representing a department that is changing the culture of emergency management in one of the most complex operational areas in the state.

 

What This Role Actually Involves

Partnership and Coordination (Primary Focus)

• Serve as the primary liaison to the 32 agencies across the Operational Area on all matters related to alert and warning, building relationships and driving alignment toward consistent A&W practices countywide.
• Brief alert and warning programs, standards, and best practices to diverse audiences—from city councils and boards of supervisors to law and fire chiefs, emergency managers, and community organizations—adapting your message for each.
• Coordinate monthly and recurring touchpoints with Operational Area partners to advance shared A&W goals, identify gaps, and troubleshoot challenges collaboratively.
• Represent SMC EM at stakeholder meetings, advisory committees, work groups, tabling events, and public-facing engagements at all levels of government.
• Facilitate training seminars and hands-on workshops for authorized users across jurisdictions on alerting platforms, protocols, and message crafting.

 

Alert Crafting and Operational Readiness

• Develop, review, and issue emergency alerts that drive protective action – messages that are clear, accurate, geographically targeted, accessible across languages, and calibrated to the threat. This includes understanding what makes an alert effective, not just how to press “send.”
• Maintain fluency across multiple alerting platforms including IPAWS, Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA), the Emergency Alert System (EAS), mass notification systems, and reverse 9-1-1.
• Participate in a weekly on-call rotation, maintaining 24-hour readiness and responding to the field or Emergency Operations Center (EOC) during emergencies or disasters.
• Conduct regular testing and evaluation of A&W systems to ensure functionality, reliability, and interoperability across jurisdictions.
• Participate in after-action reviews and improvement planning to refine protocols based on lessons learned from exercises and real-world incidents.

 

Program Development and Standards

• Advance the County’s A&W program by developing and refining emergency notification standards, protocols, templates, and processes that serve as a model for the Operational Area.
• Assess existing community alert and warning programs for effectiveness, identify service gaps, and recommend evidence-based improvements – incorporating research on protective action decision-making, message design, and crisis communications.
• Coordinate with local, state, and federal agencies to ensure A&W system integration and interoperability, including IPAWS compliance and alignment with emerging federal guidance.
• Manage vendor services and contracts related to alerting platforms and notification systems.
• Review and update Operational Area alert and warning plans on a regular basis.
• Prepare reports, briefing materials, presentation decks, and other professional documents as needed.

 

Who We Are Looking For

The right person for this role is not just technically proficient in alerting systems – they understand the weight of what an alert means and the responsibility that comes with it. They know that a poorly crafted message can erode public trust, cause unnecessary panic, or worse, fail to prompt the protective action that saves lives.

We are looking for someone who combines operational skill with judgment, presence, and the relational ability to be credible across a complex Operational Area.

 

Mindset and Character

• Growth mindset. You are insatiably curious, always learning, and never satisfied with “the way we’ve always done it.”
• Willingness to ask for help when uncertain and to verify information before acting. In this work, getting it right matters more than getting it fast.
• Thrives under pressure. You can pivot, adapt, verify, and make sound decisions in rapidly evolving, high-consequence situations.
• Comfort with ambiguity. Emergency management rarely offers a clear playbook. You can operate effectively when the situation is messy, the information is incomplete, and the stakes are high.
• Integrity and courage. If you believe an alert is inaccurate or could cause harm, you speak up – even when it’s uncomfortable.

 

Knowledge and Experience

• Strong knowledge of IPAWS protocols and the broader alert and warning ecosystem, including WEA, EAS, and mass notification platforms.
• Demonstrated fluency using alerting platforms—not just awareness of them, but hands-on operational experience issuing, testing, or managing alerts.
• Understanding what makes an effective emergency alert: message design principles, protective action messaging, audience considerations, and the science behind how people receive and act on warnings.
• Familiarity with local, state, and federal regulations governing public alerts and emergency communications.
• Experience engaging diverse stakeholders including elected officials, public safety leaders, community organizations and adapting communications to the audience.
• Excellent written communication skills, including experience with reports, briefings, proposals, and professional presentations.
• Familiarity with the five Emergency Management Sections (Management, Operations, Planning, Logistics, Finance/Admin) and the Incident Command System.
• Completion of ICS Courses 100, 200, 700, and 800, or ability to complete within first 90 days.
• Completion of IS-247.C (IPAWS for Alert Originators) and IS-248 (IPAWS for the American Public), or ability to complete within first 90 days.
• A valid California Driver’s License.
• Ability to work across a wide variety of settings (field, office, EOC) and disciplines (law enforcement, fire services, emergency medical personnel).

 

Preferred but Not Required

• Master’s degree in emergency management, public administration, public affairs, crisis communication, homeland security, or a related field.
• Experience working across multiple jurisdictions or within a complex multi-agency operational environment.
• Knowledge of information technology related to emergency management, including radio communication systems and interoperability standards.
• Experience with grant writing, program budgeting, or contract management related to emergency communication systems.

 

Minimum Qualifications

Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to qualify:

• Education: Bachelors and Masters (preferred) degree from an accredited college or university in emergency management, public administration, communications, homeland security, or a related discipline.
• Experience: Minimum five (5) years of experience in alert and warning operations, emergency communications, or emergency/disaster planning and management in a public, military, or private organization.

 

Application/Examination

How to Apply

If you are interested in being considered for this position, please submit the following materials via email:

• Resume
• Cover letter with responses to the Supplemental Questions below (maximum 2 pages)

1. Describe your hands-on experience with alert and warning systems and platforms. What role did you play in developing, issuing, or managing alerts and what did you learn about what makes an alert effective at driving protective action?
2. This role requires building alignment across 32 agencies with different levels of A&W experience and capacity. Describe a time you had to bring multiple organizations or stakeholders together around a shared standard or practice. What was your approach, and what did you learn?
3. Tell us about a time when you identified that information being communicated during an emergency or high-pressure situation was inaccurate or incomplete. What immediate steps did you take, and what did you put in place to prevent it from happening again?

Please include “SMC EM Coordinator – Alert & Warning - Unclassified” in the subject line of your email submission. Submit required materials electronically to:

Rick Reed, SMC EM Coordinator

Email: rreed1@smcgov.org

Important: APPLY IMMEDIATELY. Application materials will be reviewed as received, and qualified candidates will be contacted for an interview. This posting is open on a continuous basis and a selection may be made at any time. Submissions that do not include all required elements will not be considered. Application materials are only accepted via email.

About San Mateo County

San Mateo County is centrally located between San Francisco, San Jose, and the East Bay. With over 750,000 residents, San Mateo is one of the largest and most diverse counties in California, serving a multitude of culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse communities.

The County of San Mateo, as an employer, is committed to advancing equity to ensure that all employees are welcomed in a safe and inclusive environment. The County seeks to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community. We encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply.

The County of San Mateo is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion at all levels.

WILDFIRE PROGRAM SUPPORT SPECIALIST

Professional Temp

Full-Time/Temporary/Fixed-Term/Non-Exempt

City of San Rafael Fire Department

$31.80 - $38.65 per hour

(salary dependent upon experience/qualifications)

Limited Benefits Available

APPLICATION DEADLINE:  Apply by Monday, June 15, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.

First Review of Applicants:  Monday, June 8, 2026

(We reserve the right to close the recruitment at anytime prior to application deadline)

This position is fully funded through the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority (MPWA) and will directly support the mission of wildfire preparedness and mitigation, and community safety. 

This is a Limited Term|Temporary|Full-Time|Fixed Term|Non-Exempt position with limited benefits.  This position is for ONE YEAR ONLY for the period July 2026 through June 2027.  

THE CITY is focused on enhancing our community members’ quality of life through well-designed services and a positive workplace culture. San Rafael is the economic and cultural heart of Marin County, and its high quality of life is centered on its commercial districts, engaged neighborhoods, active lifestyle, and natural environment. San Rafael, with a population of approximately 60,000, is a full-service city with a City Council/City Manager form of government with 12 departments, more than 400 employees, and a fiscal year 2025-2026 annual budget of approximately $193 million. The City’s vision is to be a vibrant economic and cultural center reflective of its diversity. The City Council is engaged and seeks to strengthen the urban and commercial areas as well as sustain the beautiful natural environment. 

San Rafael’s Organizational culture framework is an initiative called “Together San Rafael.” City employees are our greatest asset, and we seek talented individuals with diverse backgrounds who are creative, curious, and excited about a challenge. We are a results-driven team focused on the needs of community members. The Together San Rafael initiative is focused on modernizing City services and increasing the engagement of employees. This initiative recognizes the interconnectedness of the customer and employee experience. 

THE DEPARTMENT

The San Rafael Fire Department is an all-risk fire agency with 69 highly trained operational firefighters providing services in firefighting, Advanced Life Support (ALS response, ambulance transport, technical rescue, hazardous material response, disaster response, fire prevention, and community preparedness.  We are dedicated to delivering the highest level of emergency service to our community--professional, compassionate, predictable, consistent, and sustainable.  

THE POSITION

The Wildfire Program Support Specialist provides operational, administrative, and technical support for the San Rafael Fire Department's wildfire prevention, mitigation, and community risk-reduction programs.  The Specialist will support the Wildfire Mitigation Program through the implementation of the San Rafael Wildfire Prevention and Protection Plan and Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority (MWPA) goals.  The position works closely with fire prevention staff, vegetation management personnel, contractors, community organizations, and residents to ensure efficient program delivery and high-quality customer service.  This role supports planning, data tracking, public education, defensible space evaluations, grant administration, and logistics for wildfire-related initiatives.  

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES (may include but are not limited to the following):

• Support the implementation of the San Rafael Wildfire Prevention and Protection Action Plan and Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority workplan in an inclusive and equitable manner.
• Provide various administrative support services including but not limited to inputting invoices, contracts, and purchase orders, budget tracking, meeting support and responding to resident inquiries.
• Assist in coordinating contractors, scheduling inspections, and maintaining project timelines and documentation.  
• Conduct field support tasks such as collecting site information, documenting parcel conditions, preparing inspection forms, and entering data into department databases.  
• Maintain, organize, and update program data, reports, maps, and digital records.
• Assist with grant tracking, reporting, reimbursements, and documentation requirements.
• Support development and delivery of public education materials, community outreach events, and preparedness workshops.
• Provide logistical support for equipment, supplies, signage, and daily field operations.
• Prepare written summaries, report, presentations, and correspondence for supervisors and stakeholders.
• Support the residential assistance programs via documentation, scheduling, and coordination.
• Manage the resident hotline, including phone calls, emails and third-party software to ensure residents have timely information and support.
• Helps assure residents are informed through content creation to be shared via physical and electronic forms.

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/ABILITIES

• Customer service principles and  public communication best practices.
• Principles of wildfire behavior, defensible space, home hardening practices, and vegetation management (training can be provided).
• Basic understanding of fire prevention, community risk-reduction, and emergency management concepts.
• Office software including word processing, spreadsheets, and databases.
• Recordkeeping, project coordination, and workflow management methods.
• Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to balance multiple projects.
• Clear and professional verbal and written communication.
• Proficiency using computers, tablets, data-entry systems, and mapping tools.
• Ability to interpret and apply program guidelines, defensible space standards, and work instructions.
• Effective interpersonal skills for working with residents, contractors, and internal staff.
• Problem solving and attention to detail in both field and office settings.
• Work independently and also collaborate effectively with a team.
• Provide excellent customer service, sometimes in stressful or high-volume situations.
• Clearly and effectively communicate with residents to understand their concerns and help reach solutions or provide guidance.
• Develop and execute requests for proposals (bids), financial documents, and contracts.
• Learn and adapt to new technologies, databases, and program tools.
• Maintain accurate records and follow procedures consistently.
• Exercise sound judgment and communicate professionally when representing the Fire Department.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS DESIRED

• Graduation from high school or equivalent and any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities in qualifying.
• Must possess and maintain a valid California Driver’s License with a satisfactory driving record.
• A background in customer service or public service.
• Ability to speak, write, and read Spanish is desired but not necessary.

At San Mateo County's Department of Emergency Management, we're building something different. Our vision is audacious: become the most resilient county in the United States by 2030. We coordinate the full cycle of emergency management across 20 cities and 775,000+ residents. And we do it with a team that operates more like a startup than a bureaucracy – entrepreneurial, innovative, and relentlessly focused on what works.

WHY THIS ROLE MATTERS

When disaster strikes—earthquake, wildfire, atmospheric river, or cascading crisis—the difference between lives saved and lives lost often comes down to one thing: communication. Did the alert reach the right people? In the right language? At the right time? Did it actually motivate action?

As our Alert & Warning Coordinator, you will own this mission. You'll architect the systems, craft the protocols, and build the partnerships that ensure every resident – from Half Moon Bay to Redwood City, from tech executives to farmworkers – gets the information they need to prepare, survive, and recover.

WHAT YOU WILL ACTUALLY DO

Build & Innovate:

• Lead the implementation of the Five Elements Framework—an evidence-based framework developed with leading researchers – in all our alerts and warning initiatives.
• Design multilingual alert systems that reach every community, including those often left behind.
• Integrate cutting-edge technologies: IPAWS, Genasys Protect, AI-powered monitoring, and tools that don't exist yet.
• Develop dashboards and systems that give our partners real-time situational awareness.

Coordinate & Connect:

• Serve as the nexus point between local, state, and federal emergency communication systems.
• Coordinate with 20 cities, 18 unincorporated areas, fire districts, law enforcement, healthcare systems, and community organizations.
• Build relationships with trusted community messengers who can amplify our reach.
• Manage vendor relationships and contracts for emergency notification platforms.

Respond & Adapt:

• Maintain 24-hour readiness and participate in on-call rotation.
• Staff the Emergency Operations Center during activations—from Blue Sky preparedness to Dark Sky crisis.
• Lead after-action reviews that turn every incident into institutional learning.
• Troubleshoot systems under pressure when everything depends on them working.

WHO YOU ARE

You're not just checking boxes—you're solving problems nobody's solved before. You bring:

The Foundation:

• Bachelor's degree in emergency management, public administration, communications, or related field (Master's preferred but not required).
• 5+ years in program planning, emergency management, or crisis communications.
• FEMA ICS courses (100, 200, 700, 800) and IPAWS certification (IS-247, IS-251)—or willingness to complete.

The Technical Credentials:

• Deep knowledge of IPAWS protocols and alert & warning best practices.
• Fluency with emergency notification platforms, GIS, and communication technologies.
• Coding ability (Python, Java, or C++) to build tools, automate workflows, and solve problems.
• Understanding of radio communications systems and redundant infrastructure.

The Mindset That Sets You Apart:

• Insatiably curious. You read the research. You ask why. You're never satisfied with "that's how we've always done it."
• Agile under pressure. You don't just tolerate rapidly changing, demanding environments—you thrive in them.
• A team multiplier. You add value wherever you can, not just where your job description ends.
• Resilient. You bounce back. You adapt. You're ready for whatever comes next.
• An exceptional communicator. You write clearly, speak persuasively, and translate complexity into action.
• Equity-minded. You're committed to reaching every community, especially those historically underserved.

OUR CULTURE: NOT YOUR TYPICAL EM SHOP

We're breaking the emergency management mold. Our approach integrates:

• Growth mindset: Challenges are opportunities. Failures are learning.
• Agile structure: Swift, decentralized decision-making. No permission culture.
• Human-centered design: Solutions built around people, not bureaucracy.
• Our 3C Framework: Connection, Capability, Communication – the lens through which we approach everything.

We pair veteran emergency managers with data scientists, social scientists, and human-centered designers. We operate across Blue Sky (preparedness), Grey Sky (heightened readiness), and Dark Sky (crisis) conditions. And we're building something that will outlast all of us.

READY TO JOIN US?

Submit the following via email:

• Resume
• Cover letter responding to these questions (max 2 pages):

1. Describe your experience developing and managing alert & warning systems. What technologies have you worked with and what have you learned in the process?
2. Tell us about a time when communications went wrong during a crisis. What happened, how did you respond, and what systems did you build to prevent it happening again?
3. You are coordinating emergency response and your virtual EOC system fails. Walk us through your troubleshooting process.

Please craft the answers to these supplemental questions yourself.  If you use a tool such as AI, please customize your responses. We need to know how you think and what your experiences have been.  

Include the words "DEM Coordinator – Alert & Warning - Unclassified" in the subject line of email submission. 

Please submit the required materials electronically via email to: 

Rick Reed, DEM Coordinator

Email: rreed1@smcgov.org

Application materials will be reviewed as they are received and qualified candidates will be contacted by the department for an interview.  

APPLY IMMEDIATELY. Application materials will be accepted until the position is filled. This posting is open on a continuous basis and selection may be made at any time within the process.

NOTE: Application materials are only accepted via e-mail. Materials sent via regular mail and/or fax will not be accepted. Submissions that do not include all required elements (a resume and a cover letter with responses to supplemental questions) will not be considered.

The mission of the Department of Emergency Management is to advance community resilience through a proactive and comprehensive approach to emergency management, involving the whole community in every phase of disaster preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery. 

To learn more about the DEM please visit https://www.smcgov.org/dem

About the County 
San Mateo County is centrally located between San Francisco, San Jose, and the East Bay. With over 750,000 residents, San Mateo is one of the largest and most diverse counties in California and serves a multitude of culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse communities.
 
The County of San Mateo, as an employer, is committed to advancing equity to ensure that all employees are welcomed in a safe and inclusive environment. The County seeks to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community. We encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply. Eighty percent of employees surveyed stated that they would recommend the County as a great place to work.

The County of San Mateo is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion at all levels.

Analyst: Chet Overstreet (01232026) (Department of Emergency Management Coordinator - Q002)