EQUIPMENT

CERT Backpacks (2,799 units)

Bay Area UASI procured and distributed fully loaded Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) backpacks to CERT programs across all 14 UASI jurisdictions. These standardized kits strengthen community volunteer readiness by providing essential tools for CERT training and activation, ensuring consistent capability across the region.

Shelter-in-Place Kits (508 kits; supports ~200 people each)

Shelter-in-Place Kits—each designed to support approximately 200 individuals—were distributed equitably across 14 jurisdictions. Schools, libraries, community centers, and other partners received kits to enhance local shelter-in-place capacity and improve whole-community preparedness during emergencies.

Stop the Bleed Kits (5,250 units)

Bay Area UASI provided Stop the Bleed (STB) kits to students participating in certified STB trainings. Each student received a personal bleeding control kit to reinforce hands-on instruction and ensure they left the course with both the skills and supplies needed to stop life-threatening bleeding before EMS arrives.

Individual Preparedness Kits for C-POD Exercises (300 units)

To support the Golden Eagle Commodity Point of Distribution (C-POD) functional exercises in Oakland and San José, small individual preparedness kits were provided to volunteers serving as simulated members of the public, helping to test site layout, distribution processes, and overall system performance These kits improved exercise realism, encouraged personal preparedness, and supported evaluation of C-POD activation and distribution processes.

CERT Rodeo Equipment and Materials

Bay Area UASI provided equipment and support materials for CERT Rodeo events associated with the National CERT Conference. Rodeos offered hands-on practice for skills such as fire suppression, search and rescue, medical triage, and cribbing—reinforcing CERT training and strengthening community-based response capabilities. Equipment remains available for regional CERT programs upon request.

TRAINING

Student Tools for Emergency Planning (STEP) Program (147 trainings, 1,779 students)

The STEP Program is a FEMA-developed curriculum originally intended for teachers and youth leaders to self-deliver. Following a regional stakeholder survey, Bay Area UASI learned that educators and youth organizations lacked the capacity to independently implement the program. In response, UASI adapted the model by deploying a trained vendor team to deliver workshops directly to schools, afterschool programs, libraries, and community centers.

Materials were streamlined and fully translated into Spanish and Simplified Chinese to improve accessibility across diverse Bay Area communities.

During the 2024–2025 program cycle, STEP delivered 139 interactive preparedness workshops to 1,664 students across UASI jurisdictions.

Workshops taught youth (ages 9–12) about local hazards, emergency kits, and family communication plans. Each student received a starter emergency kit, including:

• Reflective orange drawstring bag
• Water-resistant document sleeve
• Family communication plan instructions + wallet cards
• Family emergency kit guidance + low-cost supplies list
• Visual communication boards
• Emergency blanket, mini first aid kit, flashlight
• Multi-device charging dongle
• LifeStraw water filtration device
• FEMA introductory letter with additional resources

This combination of national curriculum, regional customization, accessibility enhancements, and practical take-home tools strengthens youth and family preparedness across the Bay Area.

Stop the Bleed (STB) (103 trainings, 2,168 students)

The Bay Area UASI Stop the Bleed Special Project delivered life-saving bleeding-control training to 1,294 participants, equipping residents and local workers with the skills to intervene quickly and effectively during a major bleeding emergency. Participants included:

• Middle and high school students
• Community-based nonprofit staff
• Municipal public workers
• Emergency and disaster personnel
• Everyday community members

EXERCISE

Community Readiness Functional Exercise Series

The Bay Area UASI conducted six multi-agency functional exercises to strengthen regional readiness, expand community partnerships, and improve coordination during disaster response. A total of 170 participants took part, including:

• CERT members and leadership (101)
• Community-based nonprofit leaders (44)
• Elected officials and local government staff (6)
• Department of Emergency Management personnel (19)

Exercises assessed five FEMA core capabilities—Community Resilience, Operational Coordination, Whole Community Engagement, Resource Management, and Mass Care and Sheltering—and emphasized practical, community-centered disaster readiness.

PLANNING

Technical Assistance for Community-Based Organizations (CBOs)

Bay Area UASI provided technical assistance (TA) to strengthen the disaster readiness of 21 CBOs across seven jurisdictions (Contra Costa, Marin, Oakland, San Francisco, San José, Santa Cruz, and Sonoma). TA activities included:

• Organizational readiness assessments
• Emergency Response Plan development or revision
• Business Continuity Plan (COOP) development or revision

This effort supported CBOs serving vulnerable communities in improving resilience and continuity during emergencies.

County/Regional Business Preparedness Guide

Bay Area UASI developed a County Business Preparedness Guide—and a Regional Template available for adoption by all jurisdictions—with full 508 compliance and translations into five languages.

These guides equip local businesses with a practical, accessible toolkit to strengthen preparedness, support effective response, and speed recovery from emergencies. They offer clear, actionable steps tailored to the county’s most significant hazards—including earthquakes, wildfires, floods, storms, cyber threats, and utility disruptions—along with checklists, continuity planning guidance, and resources that enhance safety, communication, mitigation, and long-term resilience. By outlining essential actions such as risk assessment, supply maintenance, team training, and record protection, the guides help businesses safeguard employees, protect operations, reduce financial losses, and recover more quickly after disruptions.

Personal Preparedness Kit Lists and Tools

UASI partnered with regional subject-matter experts to develop culturally, and functionally tailored preparedness kit lists for a wide range of community groups, including older adults, unhoused individuals, agricultural workers, pet owners, families with children, and residents of multi-dwelling units. This work also produced a suite of practical tools—such as pictorial communication cards, personal care assessment plans, emergency plans, and emergency contact cards—designed to meet diverse community needs. All materials will be available in threshold languages and formatted for flexible use, including web-hosted, home-printed, or professionally printed versions.

Crisis Communication Platform – Phase 1

UASI initiated development of an All-Hazards crisis communication database to support CBOs and community organizations in delivering timely, lifesaving information—including pre-vetted translations for limited-English-proficient communities. Working alongside national subject-matter experts, regional partners, and community practitioners, UASI developed 100 standardized messages in 20 languages, including pictogram-based formats to support non-written language needs. Currently, these messages are undergoing validation; once complete, Phase 2 will integrate the full dataset into an online RCPGP-funded platform. 

EQUIPMENT

Individual Emergency Kits (4,727 units)

This project significantly strengthens community resilience by ensuring that thousands of residents and staff across all jurisdictions have immediate access to essential emergency resources. By equipping individuals with tools that support communication, first aid, sanitation, and basic survival, the kits help reduce reliance on emergency responders during the critical first hours and days of a disaster. The equitable distribution also promotes preparedness across diverse geographic areas, helping to close resource gaps and enhance overall regional readiness for earthquakes, wildfires, power outages, and other hazards.

Emergency kits were distributed equally across all 14 jurisdictions. Kits included:

• first aid supplies

• fire blanket

• gloves

• NOAA AM/FM radio with solar/hand crank

• Flashlight

• thermal blanket

• poncho

• whistle

• hygiene kit

• KN95 mask

• dry bag

• multi-tool

• can opener

• charging dongle

• water filtration straw

Roadmap Equipment ($200,000)

Leveraging the UASI grants ability to support equipment where RCPGP cannot, each of the 10 RCPGP Local Roadmap to Community Resilience communities received $20,000 in equipment tailored to their locally identified resilience priorities. Communities included:

1. Ashland – Alameda County
2. Canal – Marin County
3. King City & Surrounding Areas – Monterey County
4. McPherson – Napa County
5. Oakland Community
6. City of Hollister – San Benito County
7. Treasure Island – San Francisco
8. Bell Haven – San Mateo County
9. City of Gilroy – Santa Clara County
10. Sonoma Valley – Sonoma County

CERT Equipment

This project enhances the operational readiness and consistency of Community Emergency Response Teams across the region. By standardizing equipment and ensuring equitable distribution, jurisdictions can train volunteers with uniform tools and procedures, improving coordination during multi-county incidents. The investment strengthens local surge capacity, supports more effective volunteer deployment, and ensures CERT members are equipped to safely perform critical functions such as light search and rescue, disaster assessment, and neighborhood-level support. Collectively, these improvements increase regional resilience and enable a more cohesive, interoperable disaster response network.

Regional consensus determined a standardized equipment list for CERT programs. Distributed items included:

• 238 CERT backpacks
• 1,885 headlamps
• 1,855 CERT Field Operations Guides
• 72 display boards
• 44 command post material sets (tables, chairs, tents, backpacks)

Equipment was delivered to Alameda, Contra Costa, Monterey, Napa, Oakland, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Solano, and Sonoma counties, with additional subgrants to Marin, San Francisco, and San José.

TRAINING

Active Attacker Response for Community Members (4 trainings, 46 students)

Focused on equipping everyday community members with strategies to respond safely and confidently during active attacker incidents.

Adult & Pediatric First Aid / CPR / AED (7 trainings, 98 students)

Provided hands-on practice in recognizing and responding to cardiac, breathing, and first aid emergencies until professional responders arrive.

Mass Care & Emergency Assistance for Community (4 trainings, 53 students)

Introduced foundational concepts in mass care, sheltering, and emergency assistance services, with an emphasis on local action planning.

Naloxone Awareness (4 trainings, 51 students)

Equipped community members with the ability to recognize opioid overdoses, administer naloxone, and provide immediate post-overdose care.

Stop The Bleed (102 trainings, 1,365 students)

Delivered DHS/ACS-aligned bleeding control training to the public through lectures, hands-on practice, and realistic scenarios.

Stop The Bleed – Instructor Certification (4 trainings, 25 students)

Prepared healthcare professionals and educators to teach Stop the Bleed to diverse audiences across community, workplace, and school settings.

EXERCISE

Community Choice Exercise Program

Jurisdictions selected from a menu of exercise options (seminars, tabletops, drills, or full-scale exercises) to support locally driven preparedness needs. Each jurisdiction engaged its local CBOs and faith-based organizations, ensuring the exercise focused on community preparedness and included representation from groups serving vulnerable populations.

• 12 exercises, 555 participants

Funded by $200,000 UASI NPA FY’23 + $150,000 RCPGP FY’23 + $81,467 BATEP FY’22.

Golden Eagle 2024 – Supply Chain Resilience Exercise

A large-scale regional exercise focused on supply chain resilience and coordinated response.

• 1 exercise, 401 participants
   

PLANNING

Technical Assistance for Community-Based Organizations (CBOs)

Beginning in CY 2026, the Bay Area UASI will provide technical assistance (TA) to strengthen the disaster readiness of CBOs across participating jurisdictions. TA activities will include organizational readiness assessments, development or revision of Emergency Response Plans and Business Continuity (COOP) Plans, and identification of grant opportunities with application support. This effort will help CBOs serving vulnerable communities enhance their resilience, strengthen continuity of operations, and improve their overall preparedness for emergencies.

EQUIPMENT

Regional GMRS/FRS Disaster Communications Initiative

This regional initiative expands the use of GMRS and FRS radio systems to strengthen disaster communications between local governments and community partners. The radios themselves are funded by the UASI grant, while the broader planning, training, and exercise components are funded through the Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program (RCPGP). Together, these investments support the development of jurisdictional communication plans, a regional communications toolkit, multilingual training, and an HSEEP-compliant exercise designed to test and refine the system. Rather than serving as standalone equipment distribution, the radios are integrated into a comprehensive, scalable approach that enhances equity, resilience, and whole-community preparedness across the Bay Area.