Public health and safety and protection from the risks of natural and human-induced disasters, emergencies, and hazards are vital to establish a safe and healthy environment for Santa Ana’s residents, visitors, and workers.
An interconnected system of channels and basins and other stormwater management facilities protect the city from flooding. The City provides local stormwater management, and the Orange County Flood Control District is responsible for regional flood control. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) administers and maintains Flood Insurance Rate Maps, which show areas according to their risk of flooding, such as 100-year or 500-year flood zones.
The Orange County Fire Authority is the City’s hazardous materials response team. The County of Orange maintains an inventory of hazardous materials stored, handled, and used within its jurisdiction to ensure all emergency response agencies can respond safety and appropriately in the event of a major emergency.
While there are no known active fault lines running through the city, all of southern California is a seismically active area, and shaking from nearby faults could result in significant damage. Other geologic hazards can occur during seismic or flood events, such as subsidence or liquefaction. The City enforces state building codes and other local and state regulations to ensure the risks of earthquakes and other seismic events are minimized.