The California Conservation Corps is one of the state’s premier emergency response agencies. We are mandated by the State of California to make response to natural or manmade disasters a high priority. Crews have been requested to assist with out-of-state emergencies as well.
The CCC can be dispatched throughout the state within hours bringing crews that are self-contained and operating independently on emergency assignments. Corpsmembers work for up to 14 days at a time, often pulling 16-hour days. The CCC tracks available Corpsmembers daily through its Emergency Services Unit based in Sacramento.
The number of available Corpsmembers and resources are shared with other state agencies and made available for immediate dispatch 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
More than 12 million hours of emergency work has been delivered by Corpsmembers since the CCC was established in 1976.
In 2020, California Conservation Corps worked over 1 million hours in support of COVID-19 relief efforts, wildland fire base camps, and fighting some of the largest wildfires in California history.
Agricultural Response
During agricultural emergencies, corpsmembers work under the direction of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to respond to pest infestations and the spread of agricultural diseases.
Earthquake Response
Cleaning up debris, dismantling hazardous structures, and distributing food and water to victims are some of the duties of Corpsmembers during earthquake emergencies.
Flood Response
Flood training focused on flood prevention and flood fighting is required for all Corpsmembers to ensure they are ready when called out for a flood emergency or for severe winter storms forecasts.
Oil Spill Response
The CCC works with the Department of Fish and Game’s Office of Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR) program to train and prepare Corpsmembers for emergency response to oil spills.
Wildland Firefighting
The CCC operates 26 wildland firefighting hand crews in cooperation with state and federal partners. Corpsmembers also provide basecamp support on large-scale wildland fires.
Other Emergency Response Efforts
Corpsmembers respond to the human toll brought by natural disasters. Restoring food chains, housing supply and sanitation are projects and skill sets the CCC brings to communities in California and, when called, across the country.
