Ray Riordan on September 2025 as “Emergency Preparedness Month”

Summary

A heartfelt appreciation to Ray Riordan (Director of City Manager’s Office of Emergency Management for the City of San José, CA) during September 2025 "Emergency Preparedness Month

Ray Riordan, Director of City Manager’s Office of Emergency Management for the City of San José, CA

Dear Ray,

I am writing to express my heartfelt appreciation for your exceptional leadership and unwavering commitment to emergency preparedness in our city. Since your arrival in the aftermath of the 2017 floods, you have consistently demonstrated an unparalleled dedication to safeguarding our community and ensuring that San Jose is better equipped to face future challenges.

I vividly recall your first public commitment at the Roosevelt Community Center. Your words that day—promising to strengthen our city’s resilience and to place emergency preparedness at the forefront—left a lasting impression on all of us present. In the years that followed, you have not only honored that promise but have gone above and beyond in your service.

Your efforts to revitalize the Office of Emergency Management have transformed it into a dynamic, proactive department. Under your guidance, the office has become a model of efficiency, coordination, and innovation. Your ability to bring together diverse stakeholders and to foster a culture of preparedness has made a tangible difference in how our city responds to crises.

Perhaps most notably, your steady leadership during the COVID pandemic was nothing short of inspiring. Amid uncertainty and fear, you provided clear direction and reassurance to both city staff and residents. Thanks to your foresight and adaptability, we navigated unprecedented challenges with a sense of unity and purpose.

Ray, your commitment to our city is evident in every action you take. Please know that I am deeply grateful for your guidance and your tireless efforts on behalf of San Jose. I am proud to stand with you and pledge my continued support in our shared mission to build a safer, more resilient community. Together, I am confident that we can meet whatever challenges the future may hold.

And you can count on me to continue to help raise the awareness of the benefits of the CERT program to help all of us through the next disasters. As part of that effort, I hope you don’t mind the video I created from the City Council session today along with a helpful epilogue where interested neighbors can pursue to learn more about CERT through the City of San Jose. 

Video – SJ City Council Sept as Emergency Preparedness Month

Sincerely,

Jeff Levine

Roosevelt Park Neighborhood Association

Public Relations Officer

Board of Directors