Page Design has just finished creating a new logo for the California Emergency Management Agency (CalEMA). CalEMA provides disaster preparedness, response, mitigation, recovery and training for all of California.

Creating Logos for Multiple Applications:

CalEMA brings under one umbrella several emergency agencies which allows for better communication and response time during disasters such as fire, terrorism, earthquake, etc. As you can imagine it was important that the new logo embody a sense of authority as well as fit in with current State of California iconography and be easily transferable to patches and insignia. The new logo has the potential of being used on everything from hats and jackets to the sides of emergency vehicles and cloisonné pins.

What was challenging about creating this logo was the rather long name. California Emergency Management Agency cannot fit all on one line and be usable for most logo applications. Even stacked it proved a challenge to read in smaller application and at long distances. Since easy visibility is a major issue for emergency personnel, the acronym Cal E-M-A was created to provide a much shorter alternative to the full version. Once the simple version of the logo was created, versions including the full name as well as the acronym were needed in horizontal, vertical and seal applications allowing CalEMA maximum flexibility

The final mark includes what is commonly referred to as the "California Bear" as it adorns the flag, many State of California logos as well as the California seal. The shield shape signifies law enforcement and authority. The bear is walking into the shield much as CalEMA personnel will be entering a dangerous and potentially life threatening situation and assessing what needs to be done. His stance signifies leadership, authority and seriousness. The star is again taken from the California flag, further emphasizing that this is in fact the "California Bear." The rays emanating from the bear can signify any number of things including the California sun, protection or hope. The colors blue, gold and red are the colors most frequently used as State of California colors. The acronym was broken into two lines to help the viewer read it as Cal E-M-A, rather than seeing it as CALEMA. The final mark embodies all of the criteria set forth by the client and portrays the image that CalEMA wanted.

Click on the thumbnails below for larger views of each of the final logo versions.