Welcome to the County of Santa Cruz
Office of Emergency Services
It is the purpose of this website to help citizens to connect with resources, develop a plan in advance and know what to do in the event of an emergency. Please view the links at the top of this page to explore this site!
Santa Cruz County is located on the central coast of California in the southern portion of the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services’ Coastal Region. It extends from the Pacific Ocean on the west, to the crest of the Santa Cruz Mountains on the east, the Pajaro River to the south and to the San Mateo County line in the north. It is adjacent to Santa Clara, San Mateo, San Benito, and Monterey Counties. Santa Cruz County covers an area of 441 square miles and has a population of approximately 274, 146 inhabitants according to 2015 U.S. Census Bureau data.
Santa Cruz County, with its varying topography, mix of urban and rural areas, and a mix of permanent, student, and recreational population is subject to a wide variety of impacts from various hazards and threats. There are three broad categories of hazards, which include natural, technological, and domestic security threats, all of which can occur with different levels of advance warning.