DISASTER RECOVERY EXPERTS

Sean P. Smith

President

Sean Smith is an emergency management and disaster recovery professional with more than 25 years of experience in project management, damage assessment, debris management, disaster operations, and recovery program implementation. His experience spans major wildfires, earthquakes, storms, debris flows, hurricanes, and other complex emergencies throughout California and Puerto Rico.

During his tenure with Cal OES, Sean served as the Statewide Debris Coordinator from 2014 through 2018 and as Incident Commander for 15 Incident and Debris Management Teams. He led and coordinated large-scale debris operations for major California wildfires, including the 2015 and 2017 statewide fires, the Thomas Fire, and the 2018 Montecito Debris Flows. Sean also served as Operations Section Chief for the 2014 Statewide Drought and the 2017 Storms, including the Oroville Dam Spillway incident, coordinating response and recovery activities through the State Operations Center and Joint Field Office. He also served as California’s lead coordinator for Initial Damage Estimates and Joint FEMA-State Preliminary Damage Assessments, coordinating with local governments, Cal OES, and FEMA to support state and federal disaster declarations.

Sean worked directly with Cal OES legal counsel to develop California’s Consolidated Debris Removal Program (CDRP), including its policies, procedures, and operational guidance. As Incident Commander and Statewide Debris Coordinator, he represented the State at public meetings and presented disaster debris-removal programs to residents, city councils, county boards of supervisors, and local officials. In 2020, he deployed to Puerto Rico to advise government officials on California’s CDRP and provide guidance regarding contracting, documentation, operations, and eligibility for reimbursement under FEMA’s Public Assistance Program. Sean later served as a project manager for the removal of wildfire debris from more than 290 properties affected by the Dixie Fire. With DRE, Sean led operations for Ventura County’s locally managed Mountain Fire debris removal program, overseeing the process from right-of-entry collection through completion. The program cleared 133 properties in less than four months while maintaining close coordination with the County, contractors, property owners, and state partners.

As President of DRE, Sean provides executive and operational leadership for disaster recovery, debris management, damage assessment, FEMA Public Assistance, insurance recovery, and California Disaster Assistance Act projects. Sean is qualified as a NIMS ICS All-Hazards Operations Section Chief and has completed ICS 100, 200, 300, 400, 700, and 800 training, FEMA Public Assistance Program training, and specialized debris management and emergency planning courses.