10/28 El Nino Private Sector Event w/ Dr. Marty Ralph & SMC Emergency Management
October 28, 2026
5:30 PM PDT - 7:30 PM PDT
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The Alexandria
201 Haskins Way
South San Francisco, CA 94080
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[PARTNER EVENT] SAN MATEO COUNTY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
PREPARING FOR EL NINO IN SAN MATEO COUNTY
When: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2026
Reserve Your Spot TODAY!
To register, simply email Cari Guittard at [email protected]
Plan on Attending
As El Niño and king tides are expected to bring a wetter-than-usual winter, Biocom is partnering with the San Mateo County Department of Emergency Management to convene life science leaders with weather and emergency preparedness experts for a candid, practical conversation about what this wet season could mean for companies, employees, and communities. We encourage all members in San Mateo County to attend.
Why your company should be in the room
- When do you send people home? Some calls belong days ahead and some get made in the moment: remote work, site closures, and what your workforce needs at home to keep going.
- What happens to your labs when the power's out for days? Generator safety, fuel, and connectivity for freezers, cold chain, and data.
- What if the storm lands on Thanksgiving? This winter's king tide windows fall around Thanksgiving (Nov 24 to 26) and Christmas (Dec 22 to 25), then January 20 to 23, when travel peaks and staffing thins. Assets staged early make the difference.
- Is your insurance adequate? Are your people and organization covered? Home, auto, renters, and corporate policies, and the questions worth putting to your broker while skies are clear.
- Who do you call? SMC EM serves 775,000 residents across 20 cities and 18 unincorporated areas, in the operational area that includes SFO. This evening starts a direct line to the office that leads countywide coordination.
Who you'll hear from
Dr. Marty Ralph, Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes (CW3E), Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. One of the leading researchers behind what's known about atmospheric rivers.
Dr. Shruti Dhapodkar, Director, SMC EM. A former trauma and burn surgeon with expertise in large scale disaster preparedness and response, hazmat, biohazard, and large events.
Ryan Reynolds, Assistant Director, SMC EM. A geologist, meteorologist, and climatologist with expertise in landslides, and SMC EM's lead for its joint work with Dr. Ralph's center.
The ask
Seats are limited and the conversation is held under Chatham House Rule. If you can't attend, send the person who'd make these calls for your company: your head of operations, facilities, security, or risk.
Light refreshments will be served at 5:30 PM. The program will begin promptly at 6:00 PM.
