The Imperial Irrigation District (District) is a public owned utility district.  The District is considered a special district in the eyes of the State of California and Federal Government.  A special district has to meet the same requirements as a local city pertaining to emergency preparedness and emergency management. 

The District is required to go through the appropriate channels regarding mutual aid.  In the event of a natural and or manmade disaster, the District would open its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) located at headquarters in Imperial, California.  The District when then notify the Operational Area (OA), which is the Imperial County Office of Emergency Services located in Heber, California at the Imperial County Fire Department Station # 2. 

If the event called for mutual aid for the District, the District’s EOC would request assistance from the OA.  If the OA was unable to fulfill this request it would go to the next highest level, which would be the Regional Emergency Operations Center (REOC), located in Los Alamitos, California. 

In the event the REOC was unable to fill the request it would go to the State Operations Center (SOC) located in Sacramento, California.  The SOC would fill the request or ask for federal assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) a sub – section of the Federal Department of Homeland Security (DHS).