The Sonoma County (Calif.) General Services Department was recently awarded the Louis ‘Pete’ Peterka Emergency Management Award for its outstanding commitment to emergency response management. The award is given annually by the County’s Fire and Emergency Services Department.

The General Services Department earned the award by taking a lead role in drought response, responding effectively to an earthquake and a flood, and working on emergency response management planning that included taking part in a Statewide Medical-Health Exercise in November of 2014.

During a flood in December 2014, the Fleet Operations Division of General Services handled the transportation of people and equipment to and from flood impacted areas. Fleet Operations team members who volunteered to help transported people and animals to shelters, while Fleet Manager David Worthington managed the team’s response from the Emergency Operations Center Transportation Desk.

The Department received the award at a meeting of the Emergency Coordinators Forum, a group of representatives from cities, county departments, state agencies, special districts, utilities, and disaster response and recovery related agencies. These members are tasked with emergency management responsibilities in the area.