Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Louise Rogers, Chief, San Mateo County Health
Scott Morrow, MD, San Mateo County Health Officer
Subject: Declaration of Local Health Emergency
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution ratifying and extending the declaration of local health emergency by the San Mateo County Health Officer.
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BACKGROUND:
Section 101080 of the California Health and Safety Code authorizes a local health officer to declare a local health emergency within the health officer's jurisdiction, or any part of that jurisdiction, when the health officer determines that a hazardous waste or waste that may become a hazardous waste, is an immediate threat to public health.
Under the Health and Safety Code, a local health officer's declaration of a local health emergency shall remain in effect for no more than seven days, unless the declaration has been ratified by the governing authority of the local jurisdiction in which the local health emergency has been declared.
DISCUSSION:
On September 9, 2020, County Public Health Officer, Dr. Scott Morrow, declared a local health emergency in San Mateo County due to fires at various locations in the southern portion of the County which appear to have been caused by lightning strikes related to atypical weather patterns. These fires are being referred to as the CZU August Lightning Complex Fires.
Dr. Morrow's declaration notes that debris and ash from structure fires can contain hazardous substances and that waste and debris from fires may be hazardous waste that causes or significantly contributes to an increase in mortality or an increase in serious illnesses or that otherwise poses a substantial present or potential hazard to human health or the environment. Dr. Morrow's declaration also notes that immediate action is necessary to mitigate the harm that could be caused to the public health and safety and to the envir...
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