A new report from the Kern County Grand Jury reveals significant shortcomings in the county’s emergency preparedness, particularly for its most vulnerable residents.
The investigation found that the county’s Office of Emergency Services has been operating without a permanent manager for months, creating a leadership vacuum in the agency responsible for coordinating disaster response across the region.
“The OES Manager is a critical position for the safety of residents. This position should never be left vacant and needs priority hiring,” the grand jury stated in its report…