CC SR 20240206 04 - Peninsula-Wide Safety Drill Update
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: 02/06/2024
AGENDA REPORT AGENDA HEADING: Regular Business
AGENDA TITLE:
Consideration and possible action to receive a report on the planned Peninsula-wide
safety drill.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
(1) Receive and file a status report on ongoing preparation for the planned Peninsula-
wide safety drill scheduled for 2024.
FISCAL IMPACT: Currently, there are no direct fiscal impacts associated with this
update. However, future costs related to outreach efforts of the safety
drill may require budget considerations if funding exceeds current
allocations.
Amount Budgeted: N/A
Additional Appropriation: N/A
Account Number(s): N/A
ORIGINATED BY: Jesse Villalpando, Senior Administrative Analyst
REVIEWED BY: Same as below
APPROVED BY: Ara Mihranian, AICP, City Manager
BACKGROUND:
In accordance with the City Council's directive, Staff, in close partnership with the City’s
Emergency Preparedness Committee (EPC), has initiated comprehensive planning for a
Peninsula-wide safety drill. This initiative, encompassing the City, Palos Verdes Estates,
Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, and the unincorporated areas of the Peninsula, aims
to actively involve the Peninsula community in a comprehensive, resident -driven
emergency preparedness exercise. Staff’s planning approach is holistic, fostering
cooperation among various stakeholders, including first responders, to improve and
facilitate responses to potential emergencies. The goal is to enhance community safety
and preparedness, marking a significant step in advancing the region’s collective
emergency management capabilities.
Staff aims to conduct the drill in April 2024 during California's Earthquake Preparedness
Month, as it will simulate an earthquake scenario leading to accelerated land movement.
This mirrors the challenges posed by the Portuguese Bend Landslide Complex, drawing
a parallel to the current issues of land movement the City is addressing. The selection of
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this scenario aims to strengthen our existing contingency plans, highlighting the crucial
need for comprehensive and well-thought-out emergency response strategies in the face
of such natural disasters.
DISCUSSION:
Tonight, Staff is providing the Council with an overview of planning efforts underway for
this emergency drill, as well as next steps.
Key Updates
Coordination and Planning Efforts
The planning phase of the drill requires extensive coordination with various agencies and
stakeholders across the Peninsula. Staff is proactively collaborating with neighboring
Peninsula cities, the EPC, and local homeowners associations, notably those from Del
Cerro and Ladera Linda, as well as the Council of Homeowners’ Association (CHOA).
These interactions, especially with EPC subcommittees, are key to refining the drill's
scope and goals. Efforts are also being made to include the Palos Verdes Amateur Radio
Network and the Palos Verdes Peninsula Community Emergency Response Team
(CERT). CERT’s involvement is crucial for shaping a community-led exercise, ensuring a
comprehensive and inclusive approach to disaster preparedness throughout the
Peninsula. Staff is diligently working to coordinate with these organizations to ensure the
smooth and efficient execution of this drill. This proposed drill will be first ever Peninsula-
wide emergency preparedness drill.
Community Engagement and Outreach
Recognizing the critical role of community involvement for the success of the drill, Staff is
working on engaging residents and key stakeholders. Current outreach strategies involve
sending informational mailers and flyers to every household on the Peninsula, as well as
featuring it in the City’s spring quarterly newsletter. This effort is aimed at educating and
encouraging active participation in the drill, thereby fostering a culture of preparedness
and responsiveness in our community. Additionally, residents will be made aware of the
drill and its importance via social media, email newsletters, banners, the Alert SouthBay
regional emergency alerting platform, RPVtv, local media, and community meetings. The
goal is to reach a diverse audience, ensuring that everyone understands the significance
of the drill. These communication channels will not only increase awareness but provide
residents and business owners with crucial information about the drill's objectives,
methods, expected outcomes, and essential emergency preparedness resources.
Focus and Objectives of the Drill
The primary focus of the drill Staff is proposing will be centered on enhancing current
mass notification and evacuation response capabilities throughout Rancho Palos Verdes
and the broader Peninsula. Envisioned as an operations -based exercise, the drill is being
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designed to realistically mimic an actual emergency scenario. The current objectives of
the exercise are as follows:
• Refining emergency preparedness plans, with a special emphasis on addressing
natural disasters, such as earthquakes and landslides.
• Improving coordination and the exchange of information among various agencies,
nonprofit organizations, schools, businesses, and community groups.
• Testing and evaluating the effectiveness of mass emergency notification systems
in providing timely and reliable public information.
• Gauging the readiness to deliver essential services to all affected populations,
particularly focusing on individuals with disabilities and those with other access
and functional needs.
Proposed Drill Components
In anticipation of this drill, Staff is working on various planning aspects to ensure its
smooth and successful execution. This preparation involves addressing the complexities
involved in orchestrating such a multifaceted exercise. The focus is on ensuring all
participating teams can function efficiently and effectively in conditions that closely mimic
real-life scenarios. The proposed structure of the drill includes the following key
components:
• Implementation of Residents' Disaster Plans
A key component of this exercise is to motivate residents to formulate and rehearse their
family disaster plans. The exercise challenges them to make crucial decisions under the
simulated stress of having only 15 minutes to evacuate. This test aims to eval uate the
practicality and effectiveness of these plans. As part of the drill, residents will receive a
notification through the City's Alert SouthBay emergency alert system. This notification
will prompt Peninsula residents to create and practice their fam ily specific emergency
plans, based on the scenario of having only 15 minutes to evacuate their homes, focusing
on what essentials they would need to take with them.
It is critical that the messaging before, during, and after the drill is carefully crafted to
ensure residents understand there is no real emergency. The messaging will include clear
language such as, "THIS IS A DRILL, THIS IS A DRILL, THIS IS A DRILL, NO ACTION
REQUIRED," to prevent any alarm or confusion. On January 9, 2024, an Alert SouthBay
Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) test was sent to all cellphones in the South Bay region,
which brought to light several operational issues. These findings are guiding Staff’s
approach to the upcoming emergency drill. Considering the challenges identified, coupled
with the potential for WEA messaging fatigue among the public following the recent test,
a different strategy is being planned for this exercise.
For this drill, rather than executing another WEA test, which reaches all cellphones in a
defined radius, Staff is exploring the feasibility of testing the Residential Connect data
system or reverse 911 data within the City’s mass notification Everbridge system, which
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would be limited to the participating cities. This decision stems from the fact that
implementing another WEA test would require obtaining a federal waiver, a process that
can be complex and time-consuming. Above all, Staff is cognizant of the need to maintain
the public's trust and attentiveness to emergency alerts, especially considering the
potential desensitization that could result from frequent testing.
• OK Sign Program Deployment
The OK Sign Program represents an innovative method to aid emergency personnel in
rapidly identifying households that are safe following a major disaster. Under this
program, residents will be guided on how to display an “OK” sign at their homes, a signal
to emergency responders that no immediate assistance is needed at that location. This
system is tailored to make the emergency response process more efficient, enabling
responders to better allocate resources and concentrate on areas with more critical
needs. This program becomes especially vital in the aftermath of a significant disaster,
where emergency services are likely to be heavily taxed. Its design is simple yet highly
effective: residents will place an OK sign in a visible area such as the front door, window,
or garage door. This act informs emergency personnel that all individuals in the household
are safe, thus optimizing search and rescue operations by allowing first responders to
prioritize those in dire need. To facilitate this initiative, the City plans to ensure the
widespread distribution of these OK signs, making them available through mail deliveries
and at City Hall. In situations where accessing the official sign is not feasible, residents
will be encouraged to improvise by writing "OK" on any available piece of paper and
displaying it in a prominent location.
• Activation of Community Response Teams
An essential component of the drill is the activation and deployment of various emergency
response teams, including the Los Angeles County Fire Department, Lomita Station
Sheriff's Department, CERT, and the Palos Verdes Amateur Radio Network. The drill will
consist of both simulated and actual response elements. While certain aspects will be
simulated to create realistic training scenarios, other components will involve the actual
deployment of resources. For instance, law enforcement and fire services will establish
an Incident Command Post, mirroring procedures followed in real emergencies. This
blend of simulation and real deployment is crucial for providing a comprehensive and
authentic emergency response experience.
Next Steps
Understanding the importance of meticulous planning and robust community
engagement, Staff plans on scheduling the drill for April 2024 (a specific date is to be
determined in coordination with partners). This timeline allows adequate time for
effectively coordinating the drill, considering the current resources and Staff
commitments. Staff will return to the Council in advance of the drill with an update on
refined plans and progress, along with a date and the Council’s anticipated role in the
drill. This ongoing engagement will ensure both the Council and community members
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remain well-informed, enabling them to provide essential oversight and support for this
critical initiative.
Ensuring the success of the drill hinges significantly on robust community involvement.
Strategies are being developed to actively engage residents, local businesses, and
schools, aiming to educate and encourage participation. The forthcoming phase involves
finalizing the drill date, securing agency commitments, completing emergency scenario
development, and implementing the communication strategy. The drill is crucial for
preparing the Peninsula for potential emergencies, with the Council's support and
participation being essential, particularly in educating families and enhancing community
safety and preparedness.
CONCLUSION:
The forthcoming drill is a vital step in preparing the Peninsula for potential emergencies.
The Council's and residents’ ongoing support and participation are integral to the drill's
success. This exercise aims to offer an invaluable opportunity for residents to understand
and practice emergency response procedures, thereby enhancing community safety and
preparedness. Extensive coordination and strategic planning, coupled with robust
community engagement and outreach, underpin this initiative. Through these efforts, the
City and participating agencies aim to conduct a successful drill and foster a culture of
preparedness and resilience within the community.
ALTERNATIVES:
In addition to Staff recommendation, the following alternative actions are available for the
City Council’s consideration:
1. Direct Staff to conduct further research and gather more information on specific
aspects of the project, with a focus on the unique needs of the Peninsula.
2. Suggest modifications to the drill's execution or community engagement strategy ,
such as proposing additional resources or support mechanisms to enhance the
drill's effectiveness.
3. Direct Staff not to conduct a Peninsula-wide and/or Citywide emergency
preparedness drill.
4. Take other action, as deemed appropriate.
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