Cal OES INSIDE LOOK: Ride-Along on Road to Recovery in Coastal Region

Before and after a disaster hits Cal OES has emergency staff on the ground.  These crews are some of the foot soldiers who have their fingers on the pulse of the communities they serve and establish important relationships long before any crisis.  When disaster strikes they gather information critical to saving lives and property.

In this case we're talking about Deputy Administrator David Cruise and the Coastal Region.

There are 16 counties within the Coastal Administration Region that David travels extensively, including 151 incorporated cities with a total population of all cities and counties at about 8,090,270. The Coastal Region geography is vast and varied with terrain consisting of valley floor agricultural centers, watershed areas, foothill regions and into the coastal mountain range areas.  His typical day is anything but typical, but all administrators, their deputies and emergency services coordinators experience the same challenging demands.

Here's a look at a day or two in the life of a deputy region administrator.