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2021 Multijurisdictional Local Hazard Mitigation Plan communications between responders can severely hamper assessment and relief efforts and prevent affected populations from connecting with responders and relatives (El Khaled and Mcheick, 2019). The Public Safety Communications Command Staff of San Mateo County directly reports to the Communications Center Director. The assistant director and three managers head up the Operations Division, which is comprised of all Communications Center operations and its staff. Each manager is assigned a functional area of expertise— personnel, police, or fire/emergency medical services operations and communications (County of San Mateo Public Safety Communications, 2021). 18.5 HAZARDOUS MATERIALS RELEASE The improper leak, spillage, discharge, or disposal of hazardous materials or substances (such as explosives, toxic chemicals, and radioactive materials) poses a significant threat to human health and safety, campus property, and the surrounding environment. Hazardous material releases may be caused by a range of incidents, including an industrial or transportation accident, or deliberate criminal act. They can also occur as a result of or in tandem with natural hazard events such as earthquakes and other geologic hazards, floods, windstorms, and winter storms. In addition to causing additional life safety threats, these compound hazard events can greatly complicate and hinder response efforts and result in major environmental impacts. The large -scale release of hazardous materials in combination with events such as flooding or windstorms can increase the spread of contamination threat zones to large geographic areas and amplify the potential long-term impacts on human and ecological health (Planning for Hazards, 2021). The Unified Hazardous Waste and Hazardous Materials Management Regulatory Program was established in 1993 to protect public health and safety, restore and enhance environmental quality, and sustain economic vitality. San Mateo County Environmental Health Services was designated by the State Secretary for Environmental Protection in 1996 as the Certified Unified Program Agency for San Mateo County. A complete list of active and inactive hazardous waste regulated facilities is now available on the County’s Open Data site. The list is updated monthly. Site-specific information can be found on the State’s Regulated Site Portal. This site includes activities related to hazardous materials and waste, state and federal cleanups, impacted ground and surface waters, and toxic materials. It is maintained by the California Environmental Protection Agency and the information is updated monthly (San Mateo County Health, 2021). 18.6 PIPELINE AND TANK FAILURE On September 9, 2010, a natural gas pipeline owned by Pacific Gas & Electric exploded in the Crestmoor neighborhood of San Bruno. Eight people were killed, at least 50 were injured, and at least 38 homes were destroyed in the explosion (Fox News, 2015). An equipment failure involves a pipeline component or device other than pipe. Sometimes a part on a piece of equipment fails resulting in a release of hazardous materials, and sometimes the piece of equipment itself fails to perform its function properly, resulting in a release. The following are typical types of equipment that can be involved:  Pumps and Compressors—Pumps and compressors are used to move hazardous liquid and natural gas through pipelines. 18-6